People stand outside a destroyed house in Illapel, Chile, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015. A magnitude 8.3 earthquake hit off northern Chile on Wednesday night, causing buildings to sway in the capital of Santiago and prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning for the Andean nation’s entire Pacific coast. People sought safety in the streets of inland cities, while others along the shore took to their cars to get to higher ground. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)
An 8.3 magnitude earthquake shook Chile, killing at least eight people as of Thursday.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake occurred at 2254 GMT.
It occurred at a shallow depth, 228 kilometers (about 140 miles) north of Santiago.
AFP reported that Illapel, a coastal city of 30,000 was hardest hit by the earthquake.
The strong quake was very strong that the tremor was felt around South America.
The earthquake caused tsunami, leaving several towns flooded by water.
The coastal town of Coquimbo was hit by waves of up to 4.5 meters (15 feet) after the earthquake.
This earthquake is the strongest since 2010’s earthquake which killed hundreds of people.
Here are photos of the disaster…
Police patrol a debris strewn street in Valparaiso, Chile, after a tsunami, caused by an earthquake hit the area, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015. A magnitude-8.3 earthquake hit off Chile’s northern coast, causing buildings to sway in Santiago and other cities and sending people running into the streets. Authorities reported one death in a town north of the capital.(Pablo Ovalle Isasmendi/AGENCIA UNO via AP) CHILE OUT – NO USAR EN CHILE
A cat stands behind debris of a destroyed house in Illapel, Chile, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015. A magnitude 8.3 earthquake hit off northern Chile on Wednesday night, causing buildings to sway in the capital of Santiago and prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning for the Andean nation’s entire Pacific coast. People sought safety in the streets of inland cities, while others along the shore took to their cars to get to higher ground. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)
Members of the media gather in front of a damaged building after an earthquake hit areas of central Chile, in Illapel town, north of Santiago, Chile, September 17, 2015. More than a million people were forced from their homes after a magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean off Chile, slamming powerful waves into coastal towns and killing at least five people. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado
A view of a damaged building after an earthquake hit areas of central Chile, in Illapel town, north of Santiago, Chile, September 17, 2015. More than a million people were forced from their homes after a magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean off Chile, slamming powerful waves into coastal towns and killing at least five people. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado
Residents gather next to a damaged building after an earthquake hit areas of central Chile, in Illapel town, north of Santiago, Chile, September 17, 2015. More than a million people were forced from their homes after a magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean off Chile, slamming powerful waves into coastal towns and killing at least five people. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado
Bottles lie on the the ground in a shop after an earthquake hit areas of central Chile, in Illapel town, north of Santiago, Chile, September 17, 2015. More than a million people were forced from their homes after a magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean off Chile, slamming powerful waves into coastal towns and killing at least five people. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado
A resident stands next to his damaged shophouse after an earthquake hit areas of central Chile, in Illapel town, north of Santiago, Chile, September 17, 2015. Strong aftershocks rippled through Chile on Thursday after a magnitude 8.3 earthquake that killed at least eight people and slammed powerful waves into coastal towns, forcing more than a million people from their homes. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Debris of a destroyed house sit on a street in Illapel, Chile, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2015. A magnitude 8.3 earthquake hit off northern Chile on Wednesday night, causing buildings to sway in the capital of Santiago and prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning for the Andean nation’s entire Pacific coast. People sought safety in the streets of inland cities, while others along the shore took to their cars to get to higher ground. (AP Photo/Luis Hidalgo)
Police and swat team members respond to a call of a shooting at the Azana Spa in Brookfield, Wis. Sunday , Oct. 21, 2012. Multiple people were wounded when someone opened fire at the spa near the Brookfield Square Mall. Deputies are still looking for the gunman. (AP Photo/Tom Lynn)
Brookfield Square Mall was earlier placed on lockdown after a shooting at a nearby spa and salon. As of 2 p.m., the mall and its parking lots are being emptied by emergency personnel.
Radcliffe Franklin Haughton, 45, of Brown Deer, Wisconsin, is pictured in this undated handout photo. REUTERS/Brookfield Police Department/Handout.
The Azana Salon and Spa is seen in Brookfield, Wisconsin, October 21, 2012, where three people were killed and at least four injured in a shooting, Brookfield Police Chief Daniel Tushaus said at a news conference. REUTERS/John Gress
A fire burns at a restaurant after an earthquake in Iquique, Chile, Tuesday, April 1, 2014. A powerful magnitude-8.2 earthquake struck off Chile’s northern coast Tuesday night. There were no immediate reports of injuries or major damage, but buildings shook in nearby Peru and in Bolivia’s high altitude capital of La Paz. (AP Photo/Cristian Viveros) NO PUBLICAR EN CHILE
Apowerful magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck off northern Chile on Tuesday night killing at least 5 people.
The Telegraph reported that according to the the United States Geological Survey (USGS) , the powerful quake struck at 8.46 pm local time (2346 GMT) at the relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (six miles), 83 kilometres from Iquique on Chile’s northern coast.
A view of the city of Iquique, Chile, after an earthquake struck late Tuesday, April 1, 2014. A powerful magnitude-8.2 earthquake struck off Chile’s northern coast Tuesday night. Buildings also shook in nearby Peru and in Bolivia’s high altitude capital of La Paz. (AP Photo/Cristian Viveros) NO PUBLICAR EN CHILE
The earthquake caused landslides that blocked roads, power failed for thousands, damaged an airport and caused fire to some buildings.
It also shook modern buildings in nearby Peru and in Bolivia’s high altitude capital of La Paz.
About 300 inmates escaped from a women’s prison in the city of Iquique.
However, Chilean press reported that 30-40 escaped prisoners had been recaptured.
A tsunami warning remained in effect for northern Chile, but alerts were lifted elsewhere.
Geophysicist Gerard Fryer at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center told The Associated Press:
“We regard the coast line of Chile as still dangerous, so we’re maintaining the warning,”
The center warned that the U.S. state of Hawaii, might see higher waves on Wednesday.
Cars are seen overturned and stuck at a collapsed road in northern Santiago Saturday Feb. 27, 2010. An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck central Chile early Saturday. The quake hit 200 miles (325 kilometers) southwest of the capital and the epicenter was just 70 miles (115 kilometers) from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city. (AP Photo/Carlos Espinoza)People walk near a destroyed building in Concepcion, southern Chile, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck central Chile early Saturday. The quake hit 200 miles (325 kilometers) southwest of Santiago, the country's capital, and the epicenter was just 70 miles (115 kilometers) from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city. (AP Photo)A collapsed bridge over the Claro river is seen near the town of Camarico, Chile, some 112 miles ( 180 kilometers ) south of Santiago, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. An 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck central Chile early Saturday. The quake hit 200 miles (325 kilometers) southwest of the capital and the epicenter was just 70 miles (115 kilometers) from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city. (AP Photo/Aliosha Marquez)
A view of an earthquake damaged building at the Maipu neighborhood in Santiago, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. A magnitude-8.8 earthquake hit Chile's central region early Saturday.(AP Photo/Juan Gonzalez) Foto: JUAN GONZALEZ GALAZIn this photo released by Chile's Presidency, Chile's President Michelle Bachelet looks at collapsed houses after an earthquake in Concepcion, Chile, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. An 8.8-magnitude earthquake, which epicenter was just 70 miles (115 kilometers) from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city, struck central Chile early Saturday.(AP Photo/Chile Presidency)