A massive magnitude 8.2 earthquake and tsunami hit the northern coast of Chile, near the port of Iquique, and prompted a warning for the country's Pacific coast, Chilean officials have said.
Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo said five people were confirmed dead and attributed the deaths to heart attacks or being crushed.
The first waves hit the coast within 45 minutes of the quake, Chilean officials said, adding that the disaster forced evacuations along Chile's Pacific coast for fear of a tsunami.
The waves generated were 2.11m tall, US officials said.
Thousands of buildings have lost power, and hundreds of thousands of Chileans are spending the night away from their homes due to the evacuation order, which remains in effect for northern Chile.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet declared parts of northern Chile hit by the earthquake to be disaster zones.
Source: Al Jazeera
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