Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé and Veraguas, Panama – October 2026
On Friday, October 9, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Panama’s Pacific coast, centered in Herrera Province. More than 100 aftershocks followed. Panama’s civil protection agency has reported more than 700 damaged homes and over 400 affected schools nationwide, with rural water systems out of service and many remote communities hard to reach.
Among the communities hit are many of the indigenous communities where WEFTA has worked for more than two decades. Since 2002, WEFTA and its sister organization Waterlines have partnered with over 160 communities in the Comarca Ngäbe-Buglé and the mountains of Veraguas to build and maintain small gravity-fed water systems. Local water committees run each system, with support from WEFTA’s in-country circuit riders.
Early reports from these communities describe cracked spring captures, damaged storage tanks, and transmission lines broken where hillsides gave way. When a spring box or main line fails, families are forced to collect water from unprotected streams, raising the risk of waterborne illness, especially for children. Heavy rains forecast for the mountains on ground already loosened by the quake threaten further damage.
Assessing the Damage
WEFTA’s circuit riders are working with water committees to assess the damage and set repair priorities. The plan is to restore water flow quickly, then rebuild damaged structures so these systems are stronger than before. As always, communities will contribute the labor and local materials, and WEFTA volunteers will provide engineering support.
Most repairs to a small community system cost between $3,000 and $7,000, so an individual, congregation, club or school can make a real difference. Please consider donating today and designating your gift to the Panama Earthquake Water System Repairs. To learn more, visit our Priority Projects & Programs page or contact us.
Our thoughts are with the people of Panama, and we are grateful to everyone who has stood with these communities over the years.
