About 6 years ago we had a 6.3 earthquake. The strong tremor yesterday was nothing compared to what we experienced then. Instead of a swaying llike yesterday, there was a viiolent shaking, something, I imagine, like what the people in Haiti felt yesterday. But even worse was the frightening noise. It sounded to me like there was a huge airplane racing its engines on the roof. The fact this happened in the middle of the night made it all even worse.
At the time, we were told that this was not the major earthquake that the Dominican Republic is due to have and that is about 800 years overdue. I had that in my mind for a long time after the earthquake, as did many other people here. I don't worry about that now like I did then, but it is still in my mind. No point in being afraid, since there is not much you can do except move to another location to avoid the possibility of being here when the big one comes, but you also can't think that you are safe from a major earthquake because you live in the Dominican Republic.
Regarding the previous quake, there was not the death and destruction that there is in Haiti because most buildings are better constructed and because homes with palm frond roofs don't kill anybody when the roof collapses, but there was damage. Most noteworthy in Sosua, where I live, was the change in the block where the Texaco station is. Before the earthquake, Texaco had its pumps at the Cabarete end of the block and a big 3 story building was at the other end. The 3-story building was so badly damaged that it had to be torn down. Also, the Sosua Bay Hotel cracked open and was closed for repairs to reinforce the building and put it back in shape.