Seismology Director says major quake could affect DR any day; we need to be prepared

[Dolores]

The director of the Center of Seismology at the state UASD university, Ramon Delanoy urged Dominicans to inspect their homes for earthquake vulnerabilities and correct them. The warning to secure homes is again made now that a second major earthquake hit in southern Haiti, just around 10 years after a first.

Historically speaking, a major earthquake is due in the Dominican Republic. “At any moment we can have a seismic event and we must be prepared,” Ramon Delanoy says. He said earthquakes are a normal occurrence on the island, with an average recurrence interval of 50-75 years. The most recent major earthquake, a magnitude 8.1 in 1946, resulted in a tsunami that killed a reported 1,600 people in the Dominican Republic.

Delanoy said that reality is that there is no certainty when an earthquake will happen. He said the occurrence of two powerful earthquakes in a...

Continue reading...

 

[Kipling333]

the boy who called wolf

 

[drstock]

the boy who called wolf

Are you saying that this guy is wrong and there is no danger of earthquakes here? I hope you're right, but I would prefer to believe the director of the Center of Seismology at the state UASD university who may know a little more than you.

 

[Gadfly]

the boy who called wolf

Ima buy couple extra botellóns, extra canned food (cheese raviolis!) always b prepared K33

 

[NanSanPedro]

Ima buy couple extra botellóns, extra canned food (cheese raviolis!) always b prepared K33

Agree to be prepared but not with canned ravioli. I have an Italian recipe for a 3 meat and 3 cheese ravioli that my mom got from ex pat Italians when I was a kid. I still remember them.

 

[josh2203]

Ima buy couple extra botellóns, extra canned food (cheese raviolis!) always b prepared K33

By default, we're prepared at almost any given point in time to stay put for close to a week... With kids, you have to live planning a bit of ahead of time always... I still recall when COVID started, my wife sent me to get a huge amount of everything canned...

 

[JD Jones]

Are you saying that this guy is wrong and there is no danger of earthquakes here? I hope you're right, but I would prefer to believe the director of the Center of Seismology at the state UASD university who may know a little more than you.

The danger of earthquakes? Yes. I believe Kip is referring to the point that the Center of Seismology puts out these reminders on a regular basis.
We all feel the little shocks now and then. That's a good thing. When all the aftershocks stop happening is when it's time to start worrying.

 

[Kipling333]

It seems that this expression is not well understood here. My experience with earthquakes goes back less than 30 years here in the DR but there was no warning given before the two major earthquakes in Haiti and never a warning about various medium shakes in the Santiago ,Puerta Plato area but every year we have warnings to be prepared without any time frame nor any instructions. Before the 2010 massive earthquake , there were daily shakings in the Higuey and La Romana area with the centre nomally just off San Rafael de Yuma. I wrote and spoke to many people feeling sure that surely soon must be a big one near us but it was a great surprise when it hit Port au Principe. No warning what so ever was given by any authority . They are always wise after the event and forecast horrible tsunamis which never happen. With an annual general warning, no one is listening anymore.

 

[reilleyp]

"The director of the Center of Seismology at the state UASD university, Ramon Delanoy urged Dominicans to inspect their homes for earthquake vulnerabilities and correct them. The warning to secure homes is again made now that a second major earthquake hit in southern Haiti, just around 10 years after a first."

Despite the reminders, people still build with not enough rebar, and use designs that are not stable, or have large overhangs or allow rebar to protrude in the salty air for 10 years, and then resume construction. Despite the reminders and warnings, when the big one hits someday everyone will be asking what could have been done and why was nobody prepared. Whether people listen to the seismologists, they will give their annual warnings as a CYA, after what happened in Italy a few years ago when six seismologists were put on trial for manslaughter because they did not "properly notify the citizens" after a swarm of small earthquakes.

 

[Kipling333]

The DR has not had a major earthquake since 1946. That was in the North East . I agree that the Director is probably covering his backside.

 

[NanSanPedro]

I actually like the reminders. With the last 2 in Haiti in recent memory, it helps to let people know it affects both sides of the island, not just Haiti. As a renter, there is little I can do except keep a weeks supply of canned food (no ravioli) plus peanut butter and crackers and of course extra water.

 

[MariaRubia]

I wonder how all those tower blocks in Santo Domingo would cope in a big earthquake.

 

[Marlon Rojas]

They’re guessing.

 

[JD Jones]

I wonder how all those tower blocks in Santo Domingo would cope in a big earthquake.

I've read various times most of the modern towers in SD were designed to withstand an earthquake. Take that for what it's worth.

 

[cavok]

I think we should prepare for the next asteroid impact, too.

 

[Sailor51]

Nothing wrong with being a "prepper", so called. Noone expected that asteroid over Russia in 2013. Or what Dorian did to Grand Bahama and the Abacos. It's about self reliance. Who wants to be the fella crying "Where are the helicopters?"
Instead of going through the debri looking for anything to survive on. Learn to distill sea water. Build a fire.
Bottom line is YOU are the only one you can count on.

 

[cavok]

I;m all for being prepared, but if you're prepared for a hurricane, you'll be pretty much prepared for an earthquake. Fortunately, earthquakes affect a much smaller area than a hurricane, but can be much more destructive.

 

[NALs]

Phew! Dominicans certainly need a reminder that the DR suffers from earthquakes. It's not as if the ground shakes multiple times every year in much of the DR.

Hopefully a warning is made about hurricanes and while they are at it, flooding too. People are not aware of that too.

PS. Water cuts, include that in there. People are not aware.

 

[NALs]

I've read various times most of the modern towers in SD were designed to withstand an earthquake. Take that for what it's worth.

Part of that is due to building codes, part of that is due to the type of soil in much of SD which is more solid, and part of that is that SD has never had a strong earthquake. All the buildings that have collapsed in the city since it was founded are for reasons other than an earthquake. One of the lastest one was the Hotel Frances which collapsed during the renovation of the street. Over 500 years of hurricanes, earthquakes, attacks and wars, time itself couldn't do what human stupidity did in a matter of days. Now it's rebuilt (though the original entrance is facing the wrong side, ahem). Someone coukd always say that the San Francisco Monastery ruins is also due to "human stupidity," but supposedly that one began collapsing after the canons that the French put on its roof to fire at the Haitian army led by Dessalines fired a few times and the roof gave way. As you go checking some of the ruins of buildings built over 500 years ago, not a single one is due to an earthquake. Much less the ones that are still standing.

 

[Tarheel]

I think we should prepare for the next asteroid impact, too.

We are preparing for an asteroid impact.