6.1 magnitude quake in Panama damages buildings, no initial reports of deaths

(Reuters) - A 6.1 magnitude earthquake shook homes in southwest Panama on Sunday near the border with Costa Rica, damaging some buildings, but there were no immediate reports of fatalities, authorities said.

The quake struck some 7 km (4 miles) southeast of Plaza de Caisan, Panama, at a depth of 37.3 km (23 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey reported. Panamanian authorities said there was no tsunami alert from the quake.

A police spokeswoman from Puerto Armuelles, Panama, a port near the epicenter of the quake, said that according to initial reports, some local buildings were damaged but there were no fatalities.

There were no immediate reports of damage from Costa Rica, where the quake was felt in the center of the country.

Panama's firefighting association said on Twitter it had received reports of the ground shaking from residents in different regions of the country, and urged calm.