A tsunami warning was initially issued but quickly cancelled. The quake hit at 10:32pm local time (1:32am GMT) and was centred just off the coast. The epicenter was about 15km (9.3miles) southwest of Coquimbo, which is a major port in the region of the same name.
It hit at a depth of 53km (33miles), meaning it was relatively shallow.
The US Geological Survey said the magnitude of the shake was 6.7 on the Richter Scale.
The initial tsunami warning for the Coquimbo Region was issued by the National Office of Emergencies.
Damage has been reported at several locations, but there was no immediate news of any casualties.
According to ONEMI Director Ricardo Toro, more than 200,000 people in the area were suffering power outages.
Chile is situated on the so-called ‘Ring of Fire’, where the earth’s tectonic plates meet and rub against each other.
This area of the world is where the majority of earthquakes take place and where volcanic eruptions occur more frequently.
Chile suffered the largest earthquake ever instrumentally recorded in 1960, when a 9.5 magnitude quake struck of the coastline.
Thousands of people were killed in the destruction that followed.
More to follow…