Rescue workers walk past a building damaged by the 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Penonome, Panama. (EPA Images pic)PENONOME: A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked Panama on Friday, collapsing buildings and roads in the center of the country and injuring at least 27 people, with no deaths reported.

The shallow tremor was felt across the Central American nation of around 4.5 million people, according to the National Civil Protection System.

The head of emergency operations Rene Garcia told AFP that there were no reports of fatalities so far.

In Panama City, about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the epicenter, there were scenes of panic as people rushed to evacuate from the city's emblematic skyscrapers.