The Dominican Republic will carry out a national exercise to boost institutional and community preparedness in the case of an earthquake. The Great National Earthquake Evacuation Drill is scheduled for this Wednesday, 5 November at 10am and is coordinated by the Emergency Operations Center (COE).
The nationwide exercise is a critical effort to strengthen the country’s collective capacity to respond effectively to a significant seismic event.
Leonardo Reyes Madera, director of the National Office of Seismic Assessment and Infrastructure Vulnerability (Onesvie), emphasized the crucial role of such drills in reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing response capabilities across institutions and the general population.
“These types of exercises allow us to measure the effectiveness of our protocols, correct weaknesses, and foster a life-saving culture of prevention,” Reyes Madera stated.
The drill is designed to encourage citizens to refine their emergency plans, promote awareness and training among institutional and community personnel, and pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities within existing evacuation and response procedures.
Furthermore, these exercises ensure compliance with national and international risk management standards, reinforcing the Dominican Republic’s commitment to security, prevention, and building resilience against natural disasters.
A statement from Onesvie underscored that the day’s primary goal is to bolster institutional and community response through coordinated evacuation practice.
The national drill will be executed simultaneously across the entire territory, involving a broad spectrum of participants: public institutions, private companies, educational centers, community organizations, civil society entities, and any interested individual.
Authorities reminded the public that due to the country’s geographical location, it faces considerable seismic risks that could result in significant human, material, and economic losses if appropriate preventive measures are not adopted.
For now, the official expectations for the drill, which serve as the anticipated results are:
Reduce evacuation times.
Improve the internal organization of institutions.
Strengthen coordination with response entities.
Document lessons learned to develop continuous improvement plans.
Read more in Spanish:
Onesvie
Diario Libre
5 November 2025