PANAMA’S EARTHQUAKE & SEISMICITY

A few years ago North Panama’s region was considered low with a seismic potential, but very little is known about the seismicity and tectonic plates of this region. That was until April 22, 1991 where the eastern portion was seen to be more seismically Clive then the western segment.  

“These models suggest that the major Caribbean-Nazca boundary is (1) a thrust fault along which the Panama Deformed Belt has developed, (2) a left-lateral strike-slip fault along the southern margin of Panama, or (3) a diffuse array of mostly thrust faults which cause internal deformation to occur throughout Panama”.

“Panamanian shelf break and inland adds a higher degree of tectonic complexity to this area. In the north, the boundary with the Caribbean plate lies on the Panama Deformed Belt along the Caribbean margin of the Isthmus of Panama”.





In Panama there are partly large earthquakes with strengths of more than 7.0, which cause damages within a radius of over 100 kilometers. Due to the special tectonic situation of the country, there are more earthquakes than average. 
7 people died since 1950 by direct consequences of earthquakes. 2 earthquakes also caused a subsequent tsunami, which claimed further lifes and damages. 












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