Western Panama hit by 6.3 magnitude earthquake

PANAMA CITY – There were no reports of damage in Panama after a 6.3 magnitude quake rattled the country’s western region near the border with Costa Rica early Wednesday.

Hospital employees evacuated some patients at clinics in Chiriquí province after the quake, but no injuries were reported.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit 23 minutes after midnight local time (0523 GMT) and was centred on the nation’s western coast just north of La Esperanza at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).

President Juan Carlos Varela wrote in a tweet that no significant damages have been reported, and the national civil defence agency confirmed that.