More than a million people were forced from their homes after a a magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean off Chile, slamming powerful waves into coastal towns and killing at least five people.

Strict building codes and the preparedness of millions of Chileans who live along an arc of volcanoes and fault lines likely kept the death toll -- only six by Wednesday afternoon -- low after an 8.2-magnitude earthquake rumbled offshore and prompted a tsunami, observers said.

A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake shook Chile's northern Pacific shore Sunday, and authorities said more than 100,000 people briefly evacuated some coastal areas as a precaution. Only minor damage was reported.