Chile Earthquake: 3 die of heart attacks, 3 crushed by rocks, one million evacuated
At least three people have died of heart attacks after a powerful 8.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Chile.
The earthquake struck off the coast of Coquimbo, 46km west of the city of Illapel at 19:54 local time (22:54 GMT), the US Geological Survey said.
Three other people were reportedly crushed to death in the earthquake that struck, Wednesday night.
One of the crushed victims is a 19-year-old, a mayor in the Chilean town of Monte Patria reportedly said.
The three victims were crushed dead by falling rocks and masonry, officials said.
At least one million people have been evacuated from coastal areas for fears a deadly tsunami may hit, the director of the National Office of Emergency for the Chilean Ministry of Interior, Ricardo Toro, said Thursday morning.
Chile, the US, and a few other countries have issued early tsunami warnings to citizens in coastal areas.
Electricity providers told local media hundreds of thousands in the worst-affected Coquimbo region had no power.
Reports say there is widespread panic in Chile as the fear of tsunami has become the beginning of wisdom.
Many have fled to high grounds to escape possible high waves.
In 2010, over 500 people died in Chile after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami.
