Panama Quake Recovery, Hurricane Simon and Argentina Inflation Lead Tuesday's LatAm Update

Panama is recovering from Friday's magnitude 7.7 earthquake, with a state of emergency in place and schools closed on Monday. Hurricane Simon is expected to weaken to Category 1 and approach Mexico's coast near Mazatlán around midnight into Thursday. Argentina is due to publish September inflation data on Tuesday, while Peru's regional runoff has been moved to December 6.

EXPANDED:

Panama's earthquake struck Friday at 12:56 p.m. local time, with the USGS placing its epicenter near Pitaloza Arriba on the Azuero peninsula. Sinaproc's initial count found no fatalities and roughly 27 minor injuries, while officials tallied at least 419 damaged schools on Saturday; a later bulletin listed over 600 education centres. State schools remained shut Tuesday and were set to reopen gradually from Wednesday, with private campuses allowed back after inspection. Tocumen airport halted flights during aftershocks before resuming Friday afternoon, and Metro lines 1 and 2 were running again by 11 October.

Hurricane Simon was Category 3 early Monday and Category 2 by afternoon, with forecasts pointing to Category 1 strength and a landfall near Mazatlán around midnight into Thursday. Argentina's September inflation report was due Tuesday at 4 p.m. Buenos Aires time, and Peru's regional runoff shifted from 29 November to 6 December.

Count words. First paragraph: Panama's(1) earthquake2 struck3 Friday4 at5 12:56(6) p.m.7 local8 time9, with10 the11 USGS12 placing13 its14 epicenter15 near16 Pitaloza17 Arriba18 on19 the20 Azuero21 peninsula22. Sinaproc's23 initial24 count25 found26 no27 fatalities28 and29 roughly30 27(31) minor32 injuries33, while34 officials35 tallied36 at37 least38 419(39) damaged40 schools41 on42 Saturday43; a44 later45 bulletin46 listed47 over48 600(49) education50 centres51. State52 schools53 remained54 shut55 Tuesday56 and57 were58 set59 to60 re