DR1 members posted on the message board to inform that the supermarkets in Santiago and Puerto Plata, and other towns of the Cibao, suffered major losses from broken glass due to the collapse of shelves. These businesses were closed as management and insurance companies move in to evaluate the damages and clean up.
The Hospital Cabral y Baez of Santiago was initially evacuated, but at 11am all was declared safe. Earthquake experts have long warned that the hospital is in need of reinforcement to withstand the effects of an earthquake. These investments, however, have never been made, and thus the evacuation. Public schools in the provinces of Duarte (San Francisco de Macoris), Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Santiago, Mao-Valverde, and Puerto Plata were all closed.
The second bulletin from the COI says that the second floor of the Banco de Reservas, Impresora HKM and Utesa University, all in Puerto Plata’s port area, sustained notable damages. In Santiago, Farmacia Mercedes, an area of La Reforma public school and the Liceo Dubeau public school were also significantly affected. In Cabrera and Nagua, there are reports of damage caused to certain public schools.
DR1 has been providing news updates as they become available. See the earthquake thread at http://www.dr1.com/forums/