Panama Canal Authority: Earthquake caused damage to some facilities, canal operating normally

At 12:56 local time on October 9, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Panama, with strong shaking felt in the capital Panama City and other areas. After the earthquake, the reporter contacted the Panama Canal Authority to learn about the impact of the earthquake on the canal's operations and related facilities. Two official notices provided by the authority show that the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks did not affect the normal operation of the canal, and ship transit remained normal. However, preliminary inspections found slight damage to four office buildings on the Pacific side of the canal, and part of the steel structure of elevated water tanks at the Monte Esperanza water treatment plant in Colon Province was damaged. Technicians are evaluating repair plans. At present, safety inspections of the locks, dams, and other key infrastructure are still underway. The Panama Canal Authority also said it will release the relevant inspection results later.