(PANAMA) Panama Hit by an Earthquake
- Oct 13, 2026
- 10 reads
Dear co-workers in the Gospel of the Lord,
I praise God for His infinite grace and love with which He has saved us through our Lord Jesus Christ and given us this precious mission of preaching the Gospel on the campus.
This October 9th at 12:56 PM, Panama was shaken by a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake centered about 240 km (149 miles) from Panama City. By God's mercy, the country is prepared for these kinds of events. All recent buildings and structures have been built under strict earthquake-resistant measures. Thus, there were only minor damages in a few spots in the capital, though unfortunately, there was major material damage in the country-side, in areas closer to the epicenter. By the grace of God, there have been no reports of deaths or missing persons as a result of the earthquake. Only 27 people have been reported with minor injuries (we sincerely pray for their speedy recovery).
My family and all the members of our church are doing well, aside from the fright caused by the seismic movement and the constant aftershocks. There have been nearly 100 aftershocks, all low to moderate in magnitude. However, one of them was felt quite strongly, forcing us to temporarily evacuate our apartment building since we live on the 11th floor. Another woke us up startled at 11 PM. Nevertheless, by God’s grace, our building is completely safe and no incidents have occurred. Likewise, I am writing these lines from our Bible Center, which was not affected in any way either.
We deeply appreciate your concern and your prayers for Panama. Please join us in praying to the Lord for the following topics:
1. May the aftershocks cease soon.
2. The Lord continues to protect all the brothers and sisters.
3. Those affected in the country-side may recover quickly.
4. May God be glorified through this whole situation and many seek refuge in Jesus.
5. May we serve with practical love to all whom we can.
6. May we worship the Lord together with joy in our Bible Center this Sunday.
Thank you very much for your prayers. May the Lord continue to bless you and carry out His work in Latin America and throughout the world, as we eagerly await His Second Coming. Amen.
With love in the Lord,
M. Josué Gutiérrez, UBF Panama
