MANAGUA - A 5.9-magnitude earthquake has hit the Pacific coast of Nicaragua close to three volcanoes, the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies (INETER) said Thursday.

The temblor stuck at 23:57 p.m. local time on Wednesday (5:57 GMT) at a depth of one kilometer, three km to the north of El Hoyo volcano, in Las Paz Centro municipality, León province, the institute said.

So far no victims were reported, Rosario Murillo, Communications Coordinator of the Council on Communication and Citizenry said following preliminary reports.

Murillo said that after the initial tremor, two aftershocks were felt and people had been told to go out into the streets and to stay calm.

She added that the earthquake had caused a power outage in the municipality of Nagarote, which neighbors La Paz Centro.

The earthquake was felt most strongly in the west of the Central American country, causing alarm among the population.