A strong earthquake measuring 8 degrees shook Panama on Friday, amid warnings of the possibility of generating devastating tsunami waves that could affect areas of the west coast of the United States and Canada. The US Geological Survey reported that the earthquake occurred off the southern coast of Panama, and its magnitude reached 8 on the Richter scale, while residents of the capital, Panama City, felt the strong earthquake and caused panic, according to what Agence France-Presse reported. In addition, the US National Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning about the possibility of generating devastating tsunami waves that could affect the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, in addition to British Columbia and Alaska. The Chilean Navy's Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service also issued a warning of the possibility of a tsunami, following the strong earthquake that struck off the coast of Panama. Note that Panama is located in a seismically active region, and has historically witnessed devastating earthquakes, while active faults in the center of the country constitute a potential source of strong earthquakes that threaten the capital and the Panama Canal.