Panama Plans Three New Tide Gauges to Strengthen Tsunami Alerts
PANAMA CITY, July 24, 2026 – Panama plans to install three new tide gauges to strengthen sea-level monitoring and early warning capacity for tsunamis, according to coverage citing the Maritime Authority and related institutions.
The equipment will measure sea-level changes and may include sensors for water temperature, pH and other oceanographic variables. The data can support tsunami detection, nautical charts, port planning, fisheries, tourism, climate analysis and long-term scientific records.
Reported preliminary locations include Punta Coco in the Pearl Islands and a marina in San Carlos, with a third site still under evaluation. Options include Achotines and a dock project in Canas, Tonosi.
Each tide gauge is expected to cost about $50,000 including sensors and five years of maintenance, with financing from Fundacion Natura. The project would bring Panama to four operational tide gauges, including the existing station at El Porvenir in Guna Yala.
This story is highly shareable because it connects coastal safety, climate change and tourism with a concrete piece of equipment people can understand.
Why it matters
Better ocean monitoring can improve warnings and planning in a country whose economy and communities are deeply tied to the sea.
What happens next
Authorities will finalize locations, install the equipment and integrate the data into warning and maritime information systems.
