Two weeks after the October 9 earthquake in Panama, 160 shelters are still providing temporary accommodation to 5,779 displaced people, UNICEF said in its Humanitarian Situation Report No. 5, posted on October 27, 2026 and covering October 16 to 23.

Source: UNICEF via ReliefWeb

According to the latest official assessments cited by UNICEF, 12,365 homes have been assessed and 40,880 people registered through the Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis. Damage to housing remains one of the main impacts, affecting 2,896 families, of whom 908 have reported the total loss of their homes.

12,365Homes assessed after the October 9 Panama earthquake
40,880People registered in the damage assessment
5,779Displaced people still living in 160 shelters
908Families who reported the total loss of their homes

The provinces of Los Santos, Veraguas, Coclé and Herrera account for the majority of reported impacts, UNICEF said. Although response actions have addressed the most immediate needs, thousands of people continue to face temporary displacement, loss or damage of housing, disruption to basic services and impacts on educational infrastructure.

UNICEF said the emergency has evolved into an early recovery phase, but significant humanitarian gaps persist, particularly for displaced families, children and persons with disabilities.

During the reporting period, UNICEF distributed 133 mosquito nets funded by DG ECHO, supported water and sanitation work with its implementing partner at the temporary site of La Pericada, and coordinated work on educational recovery and psychosocial support for children and adolescents affected by the earthquake.

The scale of the assessment has grown sharply since the previous report. UNICEF's Situation Report No. 4, covering October 14 to 16, put the number of homes evaluated at 5,821, corresponding to 19,309 people, of whom 3,696 remained in temporary accommodation.

Source: UNICEF via ReliefWeb