Earthquake M7.7 off Panama: Cables held
What Happened
On October 9, 2026, at 20:56 UTC, an earthquake of magnitude 7.7 occurred 12 km southwest of Pitahualos Arriba, Panama. The epicenter was near the Pacific coast of the country, in an area where key submarine communication cables run. The event raised local concerns about potential impacts on regional telecommunications infrastructure.
Cables in Zone
Within a 500 km radius from the epicenter are eight submarine cables playing crucial roles in connecting North and South America. Among them are Alisios, Curie (10476 km, RFS 2020, Google), Pacific Caribbean Cable System (PCCS, 6163 km, RFS 2015), Pan-American Crossing (PAC, 10000 km, RFS 2000), PanAm South (1340 km, RFS 1999), Carnival Submarine Network-1 (CSN-1, 4670 km, RFS 2026), South American Crossing (SAC, 20000 km, RFS 2000) and ARCOS (8704 km, RFS 2001). All of them pass through key connection points in Panama such as Balboa, Cristobal, and Panama City. The nearest data center node, Balboa, is only 201 km from the epicenter.
What Our Measurements Show
At the time of analysis, RTT (round-trip time) for all cables in the zone corresponds to normal values. For example, Curie shows stable RTT within 60-65 ms on routes between Panama and Los Angeles, which matches historical data. Similarly, PCCS and PAC show indicators characteristic of their routes without deviations. This confirms that the infrastructure has withstood seismic impact and continues to function normally.
Context and Risks
Panama is a crucial node for submarine cables connecting the Americas. Any damage in this region could lead to significant disruptions in internet traffic between continents. However, the resilience of cable infrastructure demonstrated during this earthquake underscores its reliability. The geographical location of Panama makes it vulnerable to seismic events, but also allows cable operators to consider this factor when designing and laying routes.
Further Monitoring
We will continue to monitor RTT metrics and other cable performance parameters in the region. Special attention will be given to cables passing through Balboa and Panama City, including Curie, PCCS, and PAC. We will also observe potential long-term effects such as microdamage or signal characteristic changes. In case of deviations, information will be updated promptly.
