According to the United States Geological Survey, the very trong tremor was centred seven kilometers southeast of the town of Plaza de Caisan at a depth of 37km.

The Sinaproc, or National Civil Protection System said that five people were wounded and four homes were destroyed in the quake. Two of the damaged homes also collapsed, Sinaproc added.

Disturbing Images posted on social media revealed simple wooden homes that fell in rural areas, deep fissures in tightly packed beach sand and entire grocery store shelves that spilled containers of processed food and bottled beverages on the floor.

“I was in the supermarket and everything swayed,” Carla Chavez told The Associated Press news agency by phone from David, the capital of Panama’s Chiriqui province near the quake’s epicentre. “Merchandise fell on the floor. Everything happened so fast.”

President Juan Carlos Varela posted on Twitter earlier that just one person was hurt, in Puerto Armuelles, and also reported damage to homes and businesses.

Panama’s National Civil Protection Service said on Twitter that walls cracked at a hospital and two supermarkets in Changuinola in Bocas del Toro province.

However, there was no tsunami alert issued from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Head of operations for Costa Rica’s National Commission of Emergencies, Sigifredo Perez, reported that no major damage or injuries had been reported in his country.