Monday morning’s 6.5-magnitude earthquake caused damages estimated at RD$500-RD$700 million in the northern and central regions of the country.
El Caribe reports that according to bulletin No. 4 of Emergency Committee, 121 buildings were damaged in Santiago, of which 42 were private dwellings. The tally also includes 44 public schools, 4 hospitals, 4 government offices, and 24 shops.
In Puerto Plata, 103 buildings were affected: 47 dwellings, 6 public schools, 1 hospital, 10 government offices, 34 shops and 5 miscellaneous structures.
Approximately 10,000 students in Puerto Plata public schools were left without classrooms. In Santiago, where 140 classrooms were considerably damaged, 8,000 students were unable to attend courses in the wake of the seismic activity.
The Institute of Seismology says there have been 160 aftershocks following the initial quake.
According to the official report, three people died as a consequence of the earthquake – two of heart attacks and one man who was fatally injured when the Mercedes boarding house where he was staying collapsed.