California weather center addresses tsunami fears after massive earthquake strikes Panama

California weather officials moved to calm tsunami fears Friday after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Panama, triggering tsunami threats across parts of Central and South America.

“A tsunami is NOT expected for California from the recent large earthquake in Panama,” the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office said in a social media post.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System flagged potential tsunami threats for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia and Ecuador.

The earthquake struck about 9 miles southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, a remote community near Panama’s southern tip, according to the US Geological Survey.

Tremors were felt in Panama City, where buildings shook and visibly shaken residents evacuated into the streets as they awaited word on the quake’s impact.

While California faces no tsunami threat from the Panama quake, parts of the Southern California coast are already battling dangerous surf and flooding.

Powerful waves linked to former Hurricane Rachel have battered the coastline, with sections of the Long Beach Peninsula boardwalk collapsing Friday and one oceanfront home left on the verge of falling into the surf. 

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