The largest earthquake in recent memory shook the northern half of the Dominican Republic early this morning. Experts had been saying that the Cibao and northern regions of the Dominican Republic were due for such an event after around 50 years of accumulating energy.
The big quake occurred at 12:45am and registered 6.5 on the Richter Scale. The US government’s earthquake monitoring unit reported that the epicenter of the seismic activity was only 15km south of Puerto Plata, at 9.676?N, 70.667?W with a depth of 10km. This was shortly followed a tremor registering 5.1, with another at 1:30am at 19.60N and 70.52W, and a third at 8:39am at 19.63N and 70.65W whose magnitude was 4.7.
Juan Payano, director of the National Seismological Institute at the UASD state university, reported that the 6.5 earthquake lasted 16 to 18 seconds. He said another eight aftershocks were felt after the first and largest tremor, sending people into the streets in the early morning hours.
Nevertheless, damage reports are marginal and some are anecdotal. Several buildings along Santiago’s main commercial artery, Calle del Sol, have reported broken glass, and the stucco finish of several buildings has fallen. Supermarkets are reporting shattered glassware and bottles in the aisles. Unsupported walls have also fallen and schools in Cibao provinces (Duarte, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Puerto Plata, Valverde, Santiago Rodriguez) are closed today, both public and private.
The 11am report from the Inter-Institutional Emergency Committee (COI) indicates two deaths as a consequence of the earthquake. One was that of a 78-year-old man, and the other a 56-year-old woman. Both died of heart attacks. Another person suffered a broken leg after jumping from a second floor in fear.
No damages are reported for the south or southeastern coast. Most people in Santo Domingo did not notice the earthquake until hearing the reports in the morning.