The construction of the Circunvalacion Norte bypass around Santiago is opening up new areas that residential developers are purchasing for development. Seismologists are warning, however, that these properties are located on the Septentrional fault zone. Diario Libre has warned of the vulnerability of Dona Fresa, a neighborhood sold by Fres-Oscar builders, Estancia Elianne developed by Inmobiliaria Media Luna and Quinta de Gurabo. Fernando Rodriguez, of the northern chapter of the Dominican College of Architects, Engineers and Surveyors (Codia) warned of the risk of buying dwellings near the fault. Architect Hipolito Gomez, of Dona Fresa where four-floor apartment buildings were built, said that the project meets all the requirements of the city government of Santiago and the Ministry of Public Works. Experts have forecast that the country is at risk of an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale. The Septentrional fault crosses the densely populated Cibao Valley, and runs 300km from Montecristi through Santiago, Jacagua, Tamboril, Salcedo and Samana.
Seismologic studies have shown that the fault zone may have accumulated sufficient elastic strain to generate a major earthquake during the more than 800 years since it last slipped and should be considered at risk of producing a destructive future earthquake.
The Septentrional fault zone (SFZ) is the major North American-Caribbean, strike-slip, plate boundary fault at the longitude of eastern Hispaniola.
www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2013/06/10/i387573_tres-urbanizaciones-cerca-falla-septentrional-santiago.html