The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7 and struck at around 8 p.m. on Friday, local time in Panama. The epicentre was estimated to be just outside the village of Pitaloza Arriba in the central part of the country. Several strong aftershocks followed in the area over the next few hours.
It is still unclear whether anyone died in the earthquake, but the AFP news agency reported several accounts of damaged infrastructure and collapsed buildings. President Mulino described the event as a "major disaster" but also called for calm.
"What has happened should not be exploited to create unrest and chaos," he wrote on X.
In the capital, Panama City, about 200 kilometres from the epicentre, there were scenes of panic in some places.
"I was scared because the shaking was very strong and lasted a long time. Heavy objects like dressers, the bed and all the kitchen utensils were shaking," Salomon Andion told AFP after being evacuated from a 15-storey building.
A tsunami warning was issued after the earthquake but was later lifted.
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