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Quake damage at home? How to get it on the official list

The count of damaged homes more than doubled over the weekend. The Emergency Operations Centre (COE) reported 910 homes affected on Sunday morning, 11 October, up from 426 on Saturday. Its director René García said the count is preliminary, covers only homes inspected so far and will rise as teams reach more communities (TVN). If your house, rental or condo was damaged, getting it registered is what puts it in line for official help and inspections.

How to report

  • Online: open Panamá Conecta, the government's services portal and app run by the Government Innovation Authority (AIG), and use the quake damage form for homes, streets and communities. No account is needed (AIG via Telemetro, 11 Oct). Use it for damage only.
  • People hurt, trapped or in danger: call 911 first. The form does not replace emergency services.
  • Sinaproc's 24-hour emergency lines: 520-4426, 520-4427 or 520-4429, or WhatsApp 6998-4809 (Sinaproc).
  • The Housing Ministry (MIVIOT) is running a census of affected homes with Sinaproc; homes with minor damage will be certified jointly so families can return (MIVIOT minister, via Telemetro, 10 to 11 Oct).

Aftershocks are slowing, not over

  • The University of Panama's Geosciences Institute (IGC-UP) counted 256 aftershocks by 11 a.m. on Sunday, 162 of them on the first day (La Prensa).
  • No aftershock of magnitude 5 or more since about 9 p.m. on Saturday, as of Sunday midday (IGC-UP via La Prensa; the USGS catalogue agrees). Most on Sunday were 3.5 to 4.5. Four early ones topped magnitude 6.
  • IGC-UP says aftershocks can go on for days, weeks or months, getting smaller and less frequent. Rain and landslides are also slowing crews in Azuero and Veraguas (COE).

What it means for expats

  • Renting? Report the damage yourself and tell your landlord in writing (WhatsApp with photos is fine as a record). Ask before re-entering if walls or stairs cracked.
  • Owners: photograph everything before cleaning up. Those photos help with both the official census and any insurance claim.
  • Living in a PH building: ask the administrator whether an engineer has inspected and whether gas lines were checked, as firefighters recommended on 9 October.
  • Check aftershocks yourself at the IGC-UP catalogue (sismosgeociencias.up.ac.pa).

Sources

  • TVN - COE reports 910 homes affected, figure may rise - 11 Oct 2026
  • Panamá América - 910 homes, 2,100 people affected as of Saturday - 11 Oct 2026
  • Telemetro - AIG opens Panamá Conecta damage form, no account needed - 11 Oct 2026
  • AIG - Panamá Conecta platform - 2026
  • Sinaproc - 24-hour emergency lines and WhatsApp - 2026
  • La Prensa - IGC-UP logs 256 aftershocks, none M5+ since Saturday night - 11 Oct 2026
  • Telemetro live - MIVIOT housing census, 426 homes on Saturday, firefighters on PH gas checks - 10 to 11 Oct 2026
  • IGC-UP - Earthquake catalogue - live