Home / Disasters and Accidents / Panama Quakes Trap Tourist, Fear for Daughter's Life
Panama Quakes Trap Tourist, Fear for Daughter's Life
11 Oct
Summary
- Montreal woman and daughter narrowly escaped trampling during earthquake.
- Devastating earthquakes caused damage across all of Panama's provinces.
- Stranded Canadian tourist faces uncertainty over flights home.
A vacation in Panama turned terrifying for a Montreal woman and her 10-year-old daughter when 7.7- and 6.6-magnitude earthquakes struck. During the violent shaking at a hotel buffet, the pair sought safety under a table, narrowly escaping being trampled.
Significant damage was reported across all of Panama's 10 provinces and two territories. The earthquakes prompted evacuations and were followed by over 100 aftershocks, leading the government to declare a state of emergency.
Following the tremors, the woman observed extensive damage, including large cracks in her hotel building, and witnessed injuries among other guests. While physically unharmed, she and her daughter have been stranded for two days.
Conflicting information from their travel provider, Sunwing, and a mistaken email from WestJet have added to their distress. Attempts to contact the Canadian government have also been met with silence, intensifying their feelings of being abandoned.
The emotional toll has been substantial, with the daughter experiencing phantom tremors due to the frequent aftershocks. The woman expressed a desire for clearer government assistance in evacuating stranded Canadians.
