Aftershocks continue after the 7.7 earthquake in Panama. People are still in shock and are still recovering from the disaster.

(Central News Agency, Panama, based on comprehensive foreign news reports on the 10th) A strong earthquake occurred in southern Panama yesterday, and residents near the epicenter began cleaning up today. The earthquake severely frightened many residents and caused widespread damage. No deaths have been reported so far.

Agence France-Presse reported that 41-year-old Aldulfo Quintero was cleaning up the mess in the store in Chitre, about 250 kilometers southwest of the capital Panama City. "We have never seen anything like this before, and we are not mentally prepared at all," he told AFP, adding that he was afraid that a new earthquake could strike at any time.

After a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 occurred around noon yesterday, more than a hundred aftershocks have been recorded so far, some with a magnitude of 6.0.

In Chitre, the capital of the hardest-hit province of Herrera, many residents chose to sleep outdoors for fear of another earthquake, including 28-year-old Yakshuri Castillo. She told AFP she was "completely stunned" when the first quake hit.

In Macaracas, Herrera province, the door of the home of 68-year-old retired resident Javier Jimenez was piled with broken tiles that fell from the roof. He said that he had no choice but to spend the night at the school in the town. "Everyone is very scared because the earthquakes keep coming and no one dares to go back."

Makarakas, a city with a population of about 66,000, was still without power today, and dozens of homes in the area were damaged.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the first earthquake was located 60 kilometers away, near the junction of the provinces of Herrera, Los Santos and Veraguas. Earthquakes rarely occur in Panama, and in the past most occurred in Chiriqui province, adjacent to Costa Rica in the west.

Panama City is more than 200 kilometers away from the epicenter of the earthquake, and the earthquake was still felt strongly. Panic people ran from many high-rise buildings in the city to the streets.

So far, no deaths have been reported, and about 30 people have been slightly injured and are receiving treatment. The authorities are still assessing the situation in remote areas, with some communities experiencing disruptions due to damaged roads.

The government of President Jose Raul Mulino today declared a state of emergency, a move that will expedite the management of "up to $100 million" in humanitarian aid, according to Presidential Minister Juan Carlos Orillac.

The United States has also pledged to quickly support Panama.