SANTIAGO, Dhu-AlHijjah 03, 1436, September 17, 2015, SPA -- 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, Reuters reported. The government ordered the evacuation of coastal areas, anxious to avoid a repeat of a quake disaster in 2010 when authorities were slow to warn of a tsunami that killed hundreds. "It's been awful. We ran out of the house with our grandchildren and now we are on a hill hoping it will be over soon," said Maria Angelica Leiva from the coastal town of Navidad. "It is all very dark, and we just hope the sea hasn't reached our house," she said. Wednesday's quake and heavy waves caused flooding in coastal towns, damaged buildings and knocked out power in the worst hit areas of central Chile and shook buildings in the capital city of Santiago about 280 km (175 miles) to the south. President Michelle Bachelet said she planned to travel to the areas worst affected by the quake, the biggest to hit the world's top copper producer since 2010 and 2015's largest quake globally in terms of magnitude. "Once again we're having to deal with another harsh blow from nature," Bachelet said in a televised statement. --SPA 12:29 LOCAL TIME 09:29 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w