The Earth Shakes

Overnight on July 4, about 1:42am, we awoke when the earth shook underneath us.

A 6.0 earthquake had just rocked the city.

Centered about 60 miles Northeast, 28 miles down, it was enough to startle us.  (Just north of El Provenir on the map below).

The weirdest sensation.

A growling rumble wakes me up (thinking it was a passing truck or something).

Increasing rapid vibrations as the window blinds tremble.

The bed in which we were sleeping begins to vibrate side to side with a rapid frequency.

Suddenly the entire building is swaying and the furniture is moving across the floor.

It’s like being on a boat that is tossed by waves, when you can’t grab your footing.

Venetian blinds banging against walls and windows.

It’s over.

Within 15 minutes, a 6.2 preliminary report is found online, and revised within moments to 6.0.  (Source: US Geological Survey)

Panama newsgroups and twitter are all full of chat messages – did you feel it?  What were you doing?  You ok?  How is your building?

Some of my friends slept through it.

Others were awakened, like us.

Damage reports

Because of its depth in the earth (28 miles down), damage discovered seems to be light.  Building cracks, drywall cracks, a few trees that fell over.  No reported injuries.  Some loose canned goods fell from grocery store shelves.

For us, we have a new crack in our ceiling, but we live in a steel reinforced cement column structure.  Other than that, it’s just our nerves that shake a little.

Panama’s Earthquakes

Panama has seismic activity.  Most is often in the western provinces of Chiriqui near the border with Costa Rica.  The US Geological society has a record of reports since 1990.

According to published reports in La Prensa, a 6.3 struck in 2000, 6.0 in 1995, 7.3 in 1974, and 6.9 in 1951.  No pattern, but you can see that it happens.

Reflections

The earth is not supposed to move like that.  It’s not supposed to rumble and groan.  But in reality it does.

We normally don’t think of the power involved to sway cement buildings and rattle the earth from a pressure point 28 miles down.

I suddenly think of just how small and powerless we humans are in comparison to some of the forces of nature.

The building rocking back and forth felt like I was but a grain of sand being sifted by a gold hunter.

But I’m also compelled to think on the sovereignty of God and the sustaining power He gives us.

The prophets use imagery how the earth shakes when God speaks to communicate the power of God (Habakkuk 3:5-7).

Mountains will bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of His name.

I simply have no words left and will simply worship.

UPDATE:

Three aftershocks have been reported.  Sunday night, 11.10pm, a 5.3 aftershock was recorded and felt.