US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino have discussed the next phase of recovery from Panama’s 9 October earthquake during a telephone call between the two governments.
The discussion focused on recovery work, wider regional matters and the election of the next UN secretary-general. It also reaffirmed that US support for Panama is intended to continue through the reconstruction process, following the emergency response mounted after the earthquake.
From urgent relief to longer-term recovery
The earthquake damaged homes, public facilities and essential services in several provinces. In the first days, the response centred on reaching affected communities, assessing buildings and moving basic supplies. Food, drinking water, communications support, transport and technical assistance were among the measures deployed, alongside specialist teams able to examine structures and advise on immediate risks.
Within 24 hours of the earthquake, two technical urban search and rescue teams, comprising 20 specialists, had reached Panama to assist with structural and damage assessments. Aircraft and helicopters were used to move emergency supplies to areas that were harder to reach by road. The work included checks of hospitals, churches and government buildings in Coclé, Veraguas and Los Santos, while Panamanian teams continued their own inspections and relief operations.
One early operation illustrates the logistical scale. On 10 October, 37 US personnel loaded 50,073 cases of water and 39,365 cans of food for transport with Panamanian civil-protection teams. Three Chinook helicopter flights then carried thousands of pounds of supplies to Penonomé, Las Tablas, Guararé and Tonosí. Keeping those supply routes working has remained relevant while assessments continue and repairs are prioritised.
By 19 October, the US humanitarian commitment had reached $6 million after a further $1 million was added to the initial $5 million package. The additional money was intended to support technical work on damaged structures, helping to identify risks, set recovery priorities and inform safer rebuilding. Structural assessments are an important part of recovery, but they do not by themselves mean that any individual building has been declared safe. That judgement depends on the relevant inspections and decisions in each location.
Recovery needs still extend beyond the first response
Recent assessments have shown that the emergency has moved into an early-recovery phase, rather than reaching a completed rebuilding stage. Temporary displacement, damage or loss of housing, disrupted basic services and pressure on education facilities remain significant concerns in Los Santos, Veraguas, Coclé and Herrera. Temporary accommodation continues to be needed for some families while damage assessments and repairs progress.
That context gives the call practical importance. The initial rescue and supply operations addressed immediate needs, but recovery depends on a longer sequence of decisions about safe housing, public facilities, water and sanitation, transport links and the return of services. Technical advice can help authorities prioritise where work is most urgent, particularly when damage is spread across rural communities and access has been affected by poor weather or unstable ground.
The latest discussion did not set out a new funding total or a timetable for reconstruction. Its immediate outcome was a renewed commitment to maintain cooperation as Panama moves from emergency relief towards recovery. Further progress will depend on continuing local assessments, the pace of repairs and whether support reaches communities with the most urgent outstanding needs.
