Burica, Panama — A magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck offshore in the eastern Pacific on Tuesday afternoon, rattling the seafloor well south of Panama's coastline.

What happened: The quake hit at 12:18 p.m. Central Time, centered about 215 kilometers — roughly 134 miles — south of Burica, Panama, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. The U.S. Geological Survey placed the epicenter at latitude 6.09 north, longitude 82.66 west, in open water off the Pacific coast.

Impacts: The USGS recorded no tsunami flag for this quake and no alert level was issued. No felt reports had come in by publication time, and with the epicenter far offshore in open ocean, significant land impacts are not expected.

What to do:

- If you feel shaking, drop, cover, and hold on until it stops.

- Stay clear of heavy objects, glass, and anything that could fall.

- Check for damage to walls, pipes, and gas lines before using utilities.

- Expect possible aftershocks and keep away from unstable structures.

*Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), October 20, 2026.*