A powerful magnitude 7. 7 earthquake struck Panama on Friday morning, shaking buildings as far away as the capital and prompting evacuations, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System has issued potential tsunami threats for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia and Ecuador.

The quake was centered near the southern tip of the Central American country, about 14 kilometers (9 miles) southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba, the USGS said.