Influencer Gracie Bon has faced criticism after sharing photographs of herself amid rubble in Panama following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that caused widespread damage last week.
Bon posted the images on Sunday, appearing to pose at the scene of the destruction. The photographs prompted a backlash from social media users who questioned the decision to take posed pictures at a site affected by a natural disaster.
In a caption accompanying the post, Bon wrote: “the reality of my country 💔 after the earthquake, we have to remember that the material is recovered, but life is priceless.”
She added: “live the present, be grateful for what we have and extend help to those who need it today stay strong Panama we’ll get through this”.
Bon later responded to the criticism in a video, saying she had visited the area to donate resources to families and help them rebuild their lives.
She said she had not been posing for the photographs, but wanted to show her followers the impact of the earthquake and raise awareness of families whose homes had been destroyed.
Bon also said she hoped the images would encourage her followers to offer help to those affected.
