- Thread starter Cdn_Gringo
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Earthquakes in the DR
It is in the wee hours of the morning, when you are jolted from sleep and not sure for a short while what is happening, that a little bit of forethought can be helpful.
In a big shake, items in cupboards, on bookcases and any tippy furniture not screwed to the wall will fall over. Any breakable items will break and there may be a significant amount of sharp broken glass shards between you and your front door.
Having some footwear such as slip on slippers by the bed can make moving around easier. If the shaking doesn't stop after 10 seconds or so, it's time to get out of bed and think about getting out of your building if that is a quick process with an open space close by.
I don't have a lot of confidence in concrete construction here as it has very little tolerance when it comes to swaying side to side. I would not put myself higher than I can safely jump or anywhere that will take me longer than 30 seconds to egress when "the need to go" arises and I am off balance due to the ground moving. At least for me where I am, I just have to get out one of three doors and clear the overhang of the roof and I'm safe from falling debris save coconuts but I'm smart enough not to hang onto a coco tree.
You have a very short time between the passing of the initial P waves (up and down movement) and the arrival of the more destructive S waves (side to side improvement) in an earthquake. If it's hard to stand without steadying yourself, you should be moving to a safer area while you still can.
The first shake woke me up. I hadn't been asleep for very long. I recognized very quickly what it was and the shaking stopped shortly thereafter. I didn't hear anything fall over and after lying there for 10 minutes, felt it safe to go back to sleep. The second shake 90 minutes later did not wake me up to consciousness as far as I know.
In a big shake, items in cupboards, on bookcases and any tippy furniture not screwed to the wall will fall over. Any breakable items will break and there may be a significant amount of sharp broken glass shards between you and your front door.
Having some footwear such as slip on slippers by the bed can make moving around easier. If the shaking doesn't stop after 10 seconds or so, it's time to get out of bed and think about getting out of your building if that is a quick process with an open space close by.
I don't have a lot of confidence in concrete construction here as it has very little tolerance when it comes to swaying side to side. I would not put myself higher than I can safely jump or anywhere that will take me longer than 30 seconds to egress when "the need to go" arises and I am off balance due to the ground moving. At least for me where I am, I just have to get out one of three doors and clear the overhang of the roof and I'm safe from falling debris save coconuts but I'm smart enough not to hang onto a coco tree.
You have a very short time between the passing of the initial P waves (up and down movement) and the arrival of the more destructive S waves (side to side improvement) in an earthquake. If it's hard to stand without steadying yourself, you should be moving to a safer area while you still can.
The first shake woke me up. I hadn't been asleep for very long. I recognized very quickly what it was and the shaking stopped shortly thereafter. I didn't hear anything fall over and after lying there for 10 minutes, felt it safe to go back to sleep. The second shake 90 minutes later did not wake me up to consciousness as far as I know.
There were actually three earthquakes and we felt all 3.
The first was a 4.3, at 1:35 in the morning with its epicentre in Guayubín which is on the road from Santiago to Montecristi, past Esperanza. The second was a 5.1 at 1:45 in the morning in Villa Vásquez.
The third was a 4.3 at 3:23 in the morning also in Guayubín, according to the Dominican earthquake centre.
Matilda
The first was a 4.3, at 1:35 in the morning with its epicentre in Guayubín which is on the road from Santiago to Montecristi, past Esperanza. The second was a 5.1 at 1:45 in the morning in Villa Vásquez.
The third was a 4.3 at 3:23 in the morning also in Guayubín, according to the Dominican earthquake centre.
Matilda
No two quakes or buildings are the same and there is no hard and fast rule. One has to take into account where you are and what you might be capable of accomplishing in a very limited time frame.
On the 12th floor of an apartment building at 2:45 am, yeah you will probably not be able to get out in time and should protect yourself as best you can until the shaking stops. Being in a partially collapsed building is just the compromise one makes to live on the 12th floor to enjoy the view and be out of arms reach of the ladrones. If you live on the first floor of that building and can hop out a window or jump over your terrace railing you could be better off outside rather than have a portion of a building pancake your apartment.
You also need to look up. Back home, the materials using in the ceiling of schools, most homes and public spaces is usually suspended acoustic tile, drywall, lightweight ventilation ducts, wires and only the roof supports and the roofing itself have any heft to them. A desk or sturdy table can offer protection from that type of falling debris and might help create a cavity space that you can occupy until found.
In this country, concrete slab construction prevails and no table is going to stand up to a slab of concrete should one fall.
On the TV news we have all seen the pictures of these collapsed apartment building and other structures after a major earthquake and the difficulty involved in finding and extracting people. I do not see being buried in rubble waiting for some organized Dominican rescue effort to maybe find me and dig me out when it is 32 degrees in the shade day after day, without water and probably with a few broken bones to contend with. I think I would rather try and avoid that scenario at all costs, but that is just my reasoning based on what I consider my reasonable abilities and chances of success should I not ponder my options for too long and act quickly. In my case, I don't have far to go to get out of mi casa. Others who live in multistory dwellings and have to negotiate stairways, hallways and greater distances may have to make different decisions. If I run, don't stop to pick up the wife, and factoring in the time to flip the door lock, I figure I can be outside in 15 seconds by two routes and 30 seconds by another. Unfortunately, bars on the bedroom windows preclude that option.
People need a plan of action for all perils they may face before one is needed. Said plan may not be workable in all situations and may not work at all, but reacting practically and quickly to a potentially dangerous situation is often better than just hanging around to see what happens - in my opinion. A blanket course of action put forward by the authorities is meant to have people do something that might be better than doing nothing because it is impossible to give the best advice to everyone based on their individual circumstances. Yes under a table is better than standing in the middle of a room, but is not as good as being out under open sky if that is also an achievable possibility.
Where I live, I don't see a whole lot of aged gringos digging me out and based on the numbers of Dominicans that live near me, I'd say they aren't coming anytime soon. It will be a long time before int'l rescue teams arrive with basic equipment and the knowledge/experience to take over the adhoc response that the DR will be able to put forward in the meantime.
On the 12th floor of an apartment building at 2:45 am, yeah you will probably not be able to get out in time and should protect yourself as best you can until the shaking stops. Being in a partially collapsed building is just the compromise one makes to live on the 12th floor to enjoy the view and be out of arms reach of the ladrones. If you live on the first floor of that building and can hop out a window or jump over your terrace railing you could be better off outside rather than have a portion of a building pancake your apartment.
You also need to look up. Back home, the materials using in the ceiling of schools, most homes and public spaces is usually suspended acoustic tile, drywall, lightweight ventilation ducts, wires and only the roof supports and the roofing itself have any heft to them. A desk or sturdy table can offer protection from that type of falling debris and might help create a cavity space that you can occupy until found.
In this country, concrete slab construction prevails and no table is going to stand up to a slab of concrete should one fall.
On the TV news we have all seen the pictures of these collapsed apartment building and other structures after a major earthquake and the difficulty involved in finding and extracting people. I do not see being buried in rubble waiting for some organized Dominican rescue effort to maybe find me and dig me out when it is 32 degrees in the shade day after day, without water and probably with a few broken bones to contend with. I think I would rather try and avoid that scenario at all costs, but that is just my reasoning based on what I consider my reasonable abilities and chances of success should I not ponder my options for too long and act quickly. In my case, I don't have far to go to get out of mi casa. Others who live in multistory dwellings and have to negotiate stairways, hallways and greater distances may have to make different decisions. If I run, don't stop to pick up the wife, and factoring in the time to flip the door lock, I figure I can be outside in 15 seconds by two routes and 30 seconds by another. Unfortunately, bars on the bedroom windows preclude that option.
People need a plan of action for all perils they may face before one is needed. Said plan may not be workable in all situations and may not work at all, but reacting practically and quickly to a potentially dangerous situation is often better than just hanging around to see what happens - in my opinion. A blanket course of action put forward by the authorities is meant to have people do something that might be better than doing nothing because it is impossible to give the best advice to everyone based on their individual circumstances. Yes under a table is better than standing in the middle of a room, but is not as good as being out under open sky if that is also an achievable possibility.
Where I live, I don't see a whole lot of aged gringos digging me out and based on the numbers of Dominicans that live near me, I'd say they aren't coming anytime soon. It will be a long time before int'l rescue teams arrive with basic equipment and the knowledge/experience to take over the adhoc response that the DR will be able to put forward in the meantime.
I joke with my friends about it all the time but after
lastnight I'm starting to think about what, if anything,
I can do to protect myself should a big one hit. As a
gringo I refuse to live on the ground floor in a developing
country. Hopefully this decision don't come back
around to bite me in the ass.
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In a major 7.5+ quake, a lot of people are going to die outright in structural collapses, propane explosions, being hit by falling objects like glass, concrete blocks, electrical lines and others will not be able to keep their vehicle on the road surface. More will die due to their injuries as time goes on.
Those trapped in debris are at the mercy of Lady Luck as to whether a family member, neighbors or passersby can find them and get them out. Large cities will have lots of damage but more resources to put forward to help people. Smaller towns like Sosua, Cabrera, Rio San Juan etc will be on their own for days with only what they have on hand to work with. I too have heard the stories of people being pulled out of rubble after 10 days but those are the rarest of exceptions. Trapped and with no water a person can last perhaps two days, maybe three as long as they are not too badly injured or bleeding.
I believe after three days, all the roads won't yet be navigable so the movement of personnel and equipment may still be a ways off for many. The DR just like Haiti, is not ready to respond to a major catastrophe lacking the training, manpower, equipment and a feasible response plan. I also believe that those able to leave the country will choose to do so long before the lights come back on and one no longer needs to use the ocean as a bathtub.
This is an overwhelming prospect for most and a reason that those who live in quake zones tend not to dwell on it at length. There is only so much you can do as an individual and after doing all of that, it's up to luck, circumstance and maybe a deity. Surviving the event is only the beginning, the after won't be any more pleasant.
Those trapped in debris are at the mercy of Lady Luck as to whether a family member, neighbors or passersby can find them and get them out. Large cities will have lots of damage but more resources to put forward to help people. Smaller towns like Sosua, Cabrera, Rio San Juan etc will be on their own for days with only what they have on hand to work with. I too have heard the stories of people being pulled out of rubble after 10 days but those are the rarest of exceptions. Trapped and with no water a person can last perhaps two days, maybe three as long as they are not too badly injured or bleeding.
I believe after three days, all the roads won't yet be navigable so the movement of personnel and equipment may still be a ways off for many. The DR just like Haiti, is not ready to respond to a major catastrophe lacking the training, manpower, equipment and a feasible response plan. I also believe that those able to leave the country will choose to do so long before the lights come back on and one no longer needs to use the ocean as a bathtub.
This is an overwhelming prospect for most and a reason that those who live in quake zones tend not to dwell on it at length. There is only so much you can do as an individual and after doing all of that, it's up to luck, circumstance and maybe a deity. Surviving the event is only the beginning, the after won't be any more pleasant.
That's not surprising. For the degree of the shaking at around a magnitude 5, people who are horizontal are more likely to feel it than those who are vertical or seated. 3 or more points of contact with three or more different surfaces ( eg. feet floor, butt chair, hands/arms on a table/desk) also adds to the likelihood of being aware of the shaking as the three surfaces begin moving out of sync with each other. Windows that are loose in their frames would have rattled as would tall glasses and cups that were in contact with each other. Dinner plates not so much. It takes a bit of time for the shaking to cause items to begin moving so really short duration tremors may not have much of a physical effect on objects inside a structure.
The type of shaking is also important. Our inner ears are more in tune to up and down motion while our physical bodies perceive side to side motion better.
In my quiet house in Sosua I could hear the low frequency rumble of the pressure waves as they passed.
You probably won't notice a 3. You may be aware of a 4 if the circumstances are conducive. You should definitely feel a 5 if it last long enough. There will be no doubt with a 6. A potential "oh shyte" event occurs around around 6.5 - generally. A long duration 6 can crack concrete.
Yesterdays 5+ was just strong enough and short enough to remind everyone that we live in an active earthquake zone without resulting in damage. Nowhere on the island is completely risk free as everywhere is situated between 2 significant fault lines, any of which could let go at anytime. Like the west coast of North America, the DR is past due for a large earthquake based solely on historical chronology.
The type of shaking is also important. Our inner ears are more in tune to up and down motion while our physical bodies perceive side to side motion better.
In my quiet house in Sosua I could hear the low frequency rumble of the pressure waves as they passed.
You probably won't notice a 3. You may be aware of a 4 if the circumstances are conducive. You should definitely feel a 5 if it last long enough. There will be no doubt with a 6. A potential "oh shyte" event occurs around around 6.5 - generally. A long duration 6 can crack concrete.
Yesterdays 5+ was just strong enough and short enough to remind everyone that we live in an active earthquake zone without resulting in damage. Nowhere on the island is completely risk free as everywhere is situated between 2 significant fault lines, any of which could let go at anytime. Like the west coast of North America, the DR is past due for a large earthquake based solely on historical chronology.
It is a tad spooky that almost to the day and time 15 years ago was the big earthquake in Puerto Plata.
The 2003 Dominican Republic earthquake occurred on September 22 at 00:45:37 local time with a magnitude of 6.4 in Puerto Plata. Part of the Banreservas building collapsed and the local Roman Catholic church and several businesses sustained serious damage. Two people were killed and thirteen people were taken to local hospitals in Imbert with multiple contusions.
A family of four suffered burns in Sosua, after a gas bottle filled with gasoline exploded.The highway between Santiago and Puerto Plata was littered with debris and stone due to the tremors. Thousands of residents in the northern provinces left their homes while awaiting a government inspection of their housing.
Multiple aftershocks continued for eight hours, the strongest of which had a magnitude of 5.1 on the Richter scale, according to the Santo Domingo Autonomous University seismology institute.
Matilda
The 2003 Dominican Republic earthquake occurred on September 22 at 00:45:37 local time with a magnitude of 6.4 in Puerto Plata. Part of the Banreservas building collapsed and the local Roman Catholic church and several businesses sustained serious damage. Two people were killed and thirteen people were taken to local hospitals in Imbert with multiple contusions.
A family of four suffered burns in Sosua, after a gas bottle filled with gasoline exploded.The highway between Santiago and Puerto Plata was littered with debris and stone due to the tremors. Thousands of residents in the northern provinces left their homes while awaiting a government inspection of their housing.
Multiple aftershocks continued for eight hours, the strongest of which had a magnitude of 5.1 on the Richter scale, according to the Santo Domingo Autonomous University seismology institute.
Matilda
That's strange. I'm in Cabarete too and was dozing but was very quickly wide awake when it struck. Maybe it's because I'm on the third floor.
I remember that in Barrio Nuevo in Puerto plata. Broke all the dishes fridge fell over in our place
Earth tremor in Pto Pta early last Sunday morning
I am glad DR news reported this.
When I asked all my Dominican neighbors about it on Sunday, not one had felt it. I assume they had all been partaking enthusiastically on Saturday night and slept soundly as a result. I was the butt of some gringo jokes but now feel vindicated.
I am glad DR news reported this.
When I asked all my Dominican neighbors about it on Sunday, not one had felt it. I assume they had all been partaking enthusiastically on Saturday night and slept soundly as a result. I was the butt of some gringo jokes but now feel vindicated.
Indeed.
That earthquake 15 years ago was the day I boarded a plane to relocate here full time. Sitting next to me was an owner of the RIU resorts in Puerto Plata and he informed me of the earthquake earlier in the day. I was delayed by a week from arriving in the DR to attend my father's funeral in NY State. I had been living in California for 10 years where I never experienced an earthquake at home. When I arrived in Cabarete, all was OK around my house here.
My first wife was from LA...
They were very used to quakes....
dishes falling out cupboards.... just get new ones...
Santa Monica...
They were very used to quakes....
dishes falling out cupboards.... just get new ones...
Santa Monica...
Preliminary Report
Magnitude 3.2
Date-Time • 27 Sep 2018 16:35:05 UTC
• 27 Sep 2018 12:35:05 near epicenter
• 27 Sep 2018 12:35:05 standard time in your timezone
Location 19.643N 71.461W
Depth 10 km
Distances • 5.6 km (3.5 mi) SE of Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Dominican Republic
• 11.0 km (6.8 mi) S of Villa Vasquez, Dominican Republic
• 22.2 km (13.7 mi) NW of Sabaneta, Dominican Republic
• 28.0 km (17.3 mi) ENE of Dajabon, Dominican Republic
• 29.6 km (18.3 mi) ENE of Ouanaminthe, Haiti
Location Uncertainty Horizontal: 2.8 km; Vertical 2.0 km
Parameters Nph = 9; Dmin = 75.3 km; Rmss = 0.86 seconds; Gp = 101°
Version =
Event ID us 1000h3h0
Magnitude 3.2
Date-Time • 27 Sep 2018 16:35:05 UTC
• 27 Sep 2018 12:35:05 near epicenter
• 27 Sep 2018 12:35:05 standard time in your timezone
Location 19.643N 71.461W
Depth 10 km
Distances • 5.6 km (3.5 mi) SE of Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Dominican Republic
• 11.0 km (6.8 mi) S of Villa Vasquez, Dominican Republic
• 22.2 km (13.7 mi) NW of Sabaneta, Dominican Republic
• 28.0 km (17.3 mi) ENE of Dajabon, Dominican Republic
• 29.6 km (18.3 mi) ENE of Ouanaminthe, Haiti
Location Uncertainty Horizontal: 2.8 km; Vertical 2.0 km
Parameters Nph = 9; Dmin = 75.3 km; Rmss = 0.86 seconds; Gp = 101°
Version =
Event ID us 1000h3h0
Preliminary Report
Magnitude 3.2
Date-Time • 5 Oct 2018 16:41:10 UTC
• 5 Oct 2018 12:41:10 near epicenter
• 5 Oct 2018 12:41:10 standard time in your timezone
Location 19.378N 68.329W
Depth 49 km
Distances • 87.3 km (54.1 mi) ENE of Miches, Dominican Republic
• 88.5 km (54.9 mi) N of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• 93.4 km (57.9 mi) NNE of Salvale�n de Higuey, Dominican Republic
• 100.9 km (62.5 mi) NE of Santa Cruz de El Seibo, Dominican Republic
• 107.6 km (66.7 mi) E of Samana, Dominican Republic
Location Uncertainty Horizontal: 8.1 km; Vertical 29.0 km
Parameters Nph = 6; Dmin = 204.1 km; Rmss = 0.34 seconds; Gp = 348°
Version =
Event ID pr 20182780
Magnitude 3.2
Date-Time • 5 Oct 2018 16:41:10 UTC
• 5 Oct 2018 12:41:10 near epicenter
• 5 Oct 2018 12:41:10 standard time in your timezone
Location 19.378N 68.329W
Depth 49 km
Distances • 87.3 km (54.1 mi) ENE of Miches, Dominican Republic
• 88.5 km (54.9 mi) N of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• 93.4 km (57.9 mi) NNE of Salvale�n de Higuey, Dominican Republic
• 100.9 km (62.5 mi) NE of Santa Cruz de El Seibo, Dominican Republic
• 107.6 km (66.7 mi) E of Samana, Dominican Republic
Location Uncertainty Horizontal: 8.1 km; Vertical 29.0 km
Parameters Nph = 6; Dmin = 204.1 km; Rmss = 0.34 seconds; Gp = 348°
Version =
Event ID pr 20182780
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