Strong waves nearly 5 meters high have hit Chile's Pacific coast after an 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck the country Wednesday. Three people have reportedly died.

Quake-triggered waves hit Chile's coastline

The US Geological Service says the epicenter of the tremor was in the Pacific Ocean, about 46 kilometers north-west of the town of Illapel, and some 200 kilometers from capital Santiago.

Early reports indicate the earthquake occurred shortly before 8 p.m. local time. There were two major aftershocks.

A tsunami alert was immediately issued by the Chilean Interior Ministry and by the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Chile and Peru are on high alert, although the warning was spread across a wide area, even as far as Hawaii.

Chilean authorities have begun to exercise public protocols and urged residents to evacuate coastal areas.

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