Condo Board Checklist After an Earthquake in Panama

Short answer: In the first 72 hours, a Panama condo board should secure the building, document damage, hire a licensed engineer, notify the insurer, and call an extraordinary owners’ meeting with 3 to 5 days’ notice.

After the October 9, 2026 earthquake many boards had no protocol. Here is a working order of tasks, useful both for boards and for foreign owners who want to know what to expect from their building.

Hours 0 to 24: safety and evidence

1. Evacuate and restrict damaged areas (cracks in columns, beams or slabs, falling concrete, gas or water leaks). Structural elements are essential common property (Law 284, art. 16).
2. Check critical services: elevators, pumps, water tank, gas, generator and electrical panels. Do not reopen until a technician clears them.
3. Document everything: dated photos and video of common areas and, with permission, affected units.
4. Notify owners through the official channel with a short, factual message. Do not speculate about safety.

Hours 24 to 48: specialists and insurance

1. Hire a licensed engineer or architect for a structural inspection and get a written report. The board may hire technicians when needed (art. 80).
2. Notify the insurer. The law contemplates earthquake coverage for the whole building and third-party liability (art. 25). Check the policy and the claim deadlines.
3. Request a Fire Department certification if damage is serious. Decisions on rebuilding or demolition, and on collecting insurance, refer to it (arts. 105 and 106).
4. Review the Contingency Fund: balance, separate bank account and monthly statements.

Hours 48 to 72: decide and communicate

1. If the repair cannot wait, the board may authorize an urgent extraordinary disbursement from reserves and must tell the owners (art. 80). Keep quotes and justification.
2. Call the extraordinary meeting with 3 to 5 calendar days’ notice and a specific agenda (arts. 64 to 66).
3. Prepare documents: list of eligible units, proxy form, engineer’s report, quotes and a draft resolution.
4. Record every step in minutes.

What the board should not do

• Charge a special assessment without the owners’ approval.
• Promise the building is safe without an engineer’s report.
• Use the Contingency Fund without the 51% vote (art. 48).
• Make decisions only over WhatsApp.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays for damage to common areas?

Owners contribute according to their share of common expenses (art. 25), with help from the building’s insurance if it covers the event.

Should the building be evacuated?

Only on the technical judgment of a qualified engineer and the competent authorities.

Informational only. It does not replace an engineer’s inspection or legal advice.

Related guides

• Emergency Owners' Meeting in a Panama Condo: How to Call One
• Quorum and Votes in a Panama Condo Meeting (Law 284)
• Cracked Column in a Panama Condo: What to Do Now
• Is It Safe to Move to Panama in 2026? Expat Guide