Earthquake strikes off Panama, no major damage reported

PANAMA CITY: A powerful earthquake struck in the Pacific off the coast of Panama early on Tuesday, shaking buildings, but there were no initial reports of major damage or casualties.

The quake of 6.8 magnitude hit about 130 km (81 miles) south of the western city of David in Chiriqui province at a depth of 10 km, the US Geological Survey reported.

An official from Panama's emergency services said goods had fallen off shelves in parts of Chiriqui but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties in the area.

No risk of tsunami was seen, the official said, but added that authorities were continuing to monitor the region.