An influencer has sparked outrage after staging a bizarre photoshoot amid the rubble left behind by a powerful earthquake.

Gracie Bon, a Panamanian model and influencer, previously made headlines after speaking about the difficulties she faces on planes, as her curvaceous figure is too big for the small seats.

The 29-year-old also attracted attention after claiming she was "body-shamed" at a Disney theme park.

Now, she has found herself in the center of another controversy after sharing a series of photos showing her posing among the destruction caused by the 7.7 earthquake that struck Panama last week.

Many residents were left without homes, and at least 27 people were reported injured.

Gracie Bon sparked huge backlash. Credit: Gracie Bon / Instagram

Bon faces criticism over earthquake photos

In one of the images, the model - who was wearing a white top and jeans - held her hands above her head. In another, she is crouching among the wreckage.

"The reality of my country after the earthquake, we’re reminded that material things can be replaced, but life is priceless. hug your loved ones a little tighter, be grateful for what you have, live in the moment, and show up for those who need it most," she captioned the photos.

"Stay strong, Panamá. we got this, we’ll get through it together," she added.

However, her message of solidarity didn’t sit well with many people, who accused her of treating the aftermath of the earthquake like a photoshoot.

"I can't believe she actually asked someone to take pictures of her in front of someone's destroyed house," one user said.

Another slammed: "Posing with someone else's misfortune must be a joke," while a third blasted: "Imagine how empty you can be if you use this moment for interaction."

A fourth added: "This type of people don't represent us, unnecessary this post, if you're going to help, help period.."

Bon issued a scathing response to the critics

The model - who lives in the US but was born and raised in Panama City - pushed back against the criticism and insisted that her intention was only to raise awareness and encourage donations from her 11.9 million Instagram followers.

"Yes, I'm in the photo, but I'm not posing," she said. "I simply decided to pick a photo where I'm in it versus one where I'm not, because I know it will get more reach and attention from my followers, and I can help rebuild a house, a family, just like I share trips or dance clips. I'm also going to share the good things I do, so why hide it?

"I went to donate from my own money, without asking anyone for anything," she continued. "I'm not a politician; I don't profit a single cent from this. My intention was to help with resources and find one or two families that I could help rebuild their house."

Bon also shared that she asked her team to document the trip and went on to emphasize the scale of the devastation.

"When I arrived, I saw everything destroyed and all those kids and families without food," she said. "It was so devastating for me."

"This is also our reality," she said, adding that "while many insist that everything's fine, there are people who lost everything, people who worked for years, sacrificed their lives to build their home, and in a matter of seconds it was all gone."

"And instead of talking about them, they're talking about a picture of me," she said, adding that it made her think whether people have "hearts so damaged" that a photo of her donating angers them more than a family losing its home.

She also pointed out that the clip of her handing out donations reached fewer people than the photo that people criticized her for.

"They have nothing to say, because many are just behind that keyboard to criticize and don't help," she said. "The question is: what have you done so far to help Panama? Tomorrow you'll forget my photo, but that family will still be without a home."

Gracie Bon has previously made headlines. Credit: Gracie Bonn / Instagram

The influencer insists photos showed the reality of the disaster

The influencer later shared another statement after a news outlet described her as being "ripped for posing" amid the disaster damage.

"Context: All the news in my country were showing a perfect city after an 8.0 earthquake, but the reality was other for the countryside," she responded. "I went there to give donations and also took pictures of how it really looks. The reality, not the cute part that they were trying to show."

Despite the criticism, Bon vowed to continue helping the families affected.

"No [lives] were lost, but they lost their homes and everything they had worked their entire lives for," she concluded.

Featured image credit: Gracie Bon / Instagram