The director of the Seismology Institute at the state university UASD, Eugenio Polanco Rivera, is alerting all in the Dominican Republic that on any day now a major earthquake could affect the country. He explains the tectonic faults have 71 years of storing energy that eventually will need to be released, likely causing a major earthquake. The most recent earthquake and the largest to affect the Caribbean was one of 8.6 Richter scale that occurred in 1946.
He said it is necessary for residents to be aware of the high seismic risk of the country that is susceptible to slippage of the Caribbean plate and the North American plate and all regions of the country should take preventive actions.
Polanco said the most serious risk for the country is in the areas along the Septentrional Fault. There, the ground in Santiago, Puerto Plata, La Vega and San Jose de Ocoa are most vulnerable to a major shake given that soft soils in these areas amplify ground shaking. He said with exceptions such as Los Prados, and others, the capital city of Santo Domingo is built on solid rock soil.
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Listin Diario
Thornless Path
2 October 2017
