Santo Domingo.- Santo Domingo State University (UASD) Seismology Institute director Eugenio Polanco yesterday warned of the “fragility” in Dominican Republic’s constructions, for which many would collapse in a strong earthquake.
“The constructions in this country are very complex as far as quality, many old and are built by the same people; they neither respond to Public Works supervision on anti-quake norms, or we have a new seismic code and the old one didn’t ponder constructions higher than four floors,” the expert said.
Polanco also warned that since “we live in a country with a high seismic potential” and can produce great intensity quakes like in 1946, of magnitude 8.1, the country should be aware that it’s located in a zone where two plates interact, reason enough to say that a major quake can occur. “We cannot say it will happen today or tomorrow, but there should be preparations.”
But it’s encouraging, the seismologist said, that the country’s latest tremors wouldn’t be necessarily a warning that it could happen in the future.
“The quakes occur in a source that releases energy and produces the tremor. We can issue an earthquake warning when it’s related to a source, but we’ve seen that the latest tremors which have occurred because of the release of energy have been in different sources, so we could say that those sources have released energy which they’ve had stored and perhaps they have entered a process of calm,” the expert said during conference in the Catholic University of Santo Domingo.
Written by: RoyStone, 1 Feb 2012 8:04 AM
From: Australia
We might get hit by a big quake sometime. I'll think about it tomorrow. I might win at the lottery. Quick, off to the banca.
Written by: BASTA, 1 Feb 2012 8:09 AM
From: Dominican Republic, =Ghetto/Legalize Drugs
many would collapse in a strong earthquake. = Let us not forget the Metro, which was built without Plans or Surveys + poor materials and construction protocols.
From: United States, Omnipresence
"strong earthquake would topple many buildings"...DUH, tell us something we don't know professor wizard! The real question is what is the EOC and Red Cross doin about it?
Written by: RoyStone, 1 Feb 2012 8:49 AM
From: Australia
watcher48,
The Red Cross have already re-built Santo Domingo once. I don't think they will again.
Written by: walnut, 1 Feb 2012 8:50 AM
From: Bouvet Island, Cayuga lakeside
I agree Roy.
If you live in constant fear, that is not life.
However, I wouldn't live in a SD high rise if you gave it to me.
And I have many bottles of fresh water just in case.
Written by: RoyStone, 1 Feb 2012 9:42 AM
From: Australia
When the big one comes, how can my family get out of our barricaded, padlocked, steel-barred, barbed-wired concrete-block fortress in time?
Written by: anthonyC, 1 Feb 2012 9:53 AM
From: United States
"Strong quake would topple many buildings, expert warns"
Another insightful report from the Dominican Institute for Research of Stuff We Already Know!
From: Dominican Republic
Why don't they show a picture of the skeleton of a building on the Malecon.
If it toppels then who will pay. The Dominican government?
They had to borrow money for the Christmas bonus.
The Governments to date have been a international joke.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
I always feel comforted that my home is more than 200 years old and the cathedral is more than 400 years old and there are few cracks in either so maybe it is best to live in a well maintained old home ..it is the test of time
Written by: danny00, 1 Feb 2012 11:37 AM
From: United States, syosset, key west, santo domingo AND NOW THE GLOBE TROTTER
Written by: Ricardolito, 1 Feb 2012 10:39 AM
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
I always feel comforted that my home is more than 200 years old and the cathedral is more than 400 years old and there are few cracks in either so maybe it is best to live in a well maintained old home ..it is the test of time
MAN U LOVE EVERY THING IN THE DR.?
BUT THIS TIME U HAVE GREAT THOUGHTS, I ALSO THINK IF THE BIG ONE COMES U SHOULD STAY IN ONE OF YOUR WELL BUILT HOMES.
JUST U HAD A BUILDER FROM JAPAN BUILD THE HOME FOR U? LOL
YOUR A FUNNY GUY MR RICKY, BUT NO ONE IS LAUGHING. LETS SEE HOW COMFORTED U ARE WITH YOUR ROOF ON YOUR HEAD.
Written by: danny00, 1 Feb 2012 11:45 AM
From: United States, syosset, key west, santo domingo AND NOW THE GLOBE TROTTER
face book is filing papers today so they can go public in the next 2-3 months.
they now have over 800 million users.
they say the company is worth $800- 100 billion dollars.
not bad the founder of face book is only 27y old.
have a great day in la-la land.
complain again? its like your opinions are handed down by god, so when you get your way [and of course your way is the way}.
Written by: RoyStone, 1 Feb 2012 1:08 PM
From: Australia
Ricky,
Some buildings in Pompeii were much older than yours when the inhabitants were buried in hot volcanic ash. Still you are not alone. This whole country is a fool's paradise. Relax and enjoy your Presidente.
Written by: josean, 1 Feb 2012 3:23 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
I feel that the responsible thing for the” government” to do would be to convene a national review board of construction experts to review our current vulnerabilities in the structures already built and in our current building codes.
To give the "review board" maximum credibility and to depoliticize the issue, especially in the current election cycle, it should be bolstered by non-national independent experts as well.
I consider this should be done yesterday as this is a matter of National Security for the country!
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
There are no volcanoes here ..so there is no comparison ,,,volcanoes erupt from time to time and give adequate notice ,,Here we are talking about 2 fault lines that give off a lot of small tremors and the one big one ,,,neither the smaller ones or the big one were predicted by the experts ...they seem to have no idea of where the next quake will occur but based on the past 400 years I will say it will not be Santo Domingo
Written by: josean, 1 Feb 2012 3:43 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
We can't predict when we are going to get a flat tire either, or if we ever will, yet we still carry a spare tire or a can of Fix-A-Flat just in case!
Written by: RoyStone, 1 Feb 2012 6:30 PM
From: Australia
josean, I think there are already enough "experts" saying many buildings would not comply to current world best-practice regarding quake-readiness, and that even the current building codes are inadequate.
I think one more tremor, a little stronger than the last will cause prices to plummet and mortgages to move into negative equity. That's when the sh¡t will hit the fan.
Written by: josean, 1 Feb 2012 6:43 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
Roy,
I hope your wrong but in any event, we should prepare for the worst and hope for the best!
Written by: RoyStone, 1 Feb 2012 8:22 PM
From: Australia
josean, well I'm an optimist, but I have to admit the pessimists have a stronger case.
Written by: josean, 3 Feb 2012 2:35 AM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
As Yogi says "This is like deja vu all over again.”
Country needs seismic measures now
Leonardo Reyes Madera, the engineer who heads the Society of Seismology and Seismic Engineering, told Hoy newspaper that the nation's schools all need to be structurally reinforced. He said: "So many years saying the same thing and the authorities still have not wanted to look at the schools, hospitals and other public buildings."
The Society expressed concern yesterday because despite the country's high level of earthquake risk, the government has not accepted the suggestions to strengthen the schools and other public buildings.
The members of the society say that the authorities have not learned from the disastrous earthquake in Haiti just two years ago.
Reyes Madera recalled that in 2003 the National Office of Seismic and Vulnerability (Onesvie) looked at the schools that should be reinforced and so far, not one has been worked on.
Continued:
Written by: josean, 3 Feb 2012 2:37 AM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
Reyes Madera, Rafael Corominas, Hector O'Reilly and Romeo Llinas all attended the Weekly Luncheon at the Corripio Communications Group to talk about this issue. They mentioned the 6.4-magnitude earthquake in 2003 that caused two schools in Puerto Plata to collapse. The schools were rebuilt, but on the same structural lines, which suggests that nothing was learned. Rafael Corominas, perhaps the leading seismological engineer in the field and founder of Onesvie, said that the 2003 study was just set aside and after the change in administrations in 2004 the office that he founded became politicized and the government has turned its back on the recommendations.
From Zooma's DR1
Written by: josean, 3 Feb 2012 2:44 AM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
"Rafael Corominas, perhaps the leading seismological engineer in the field and founder of Onesvie, said that the 2003 study was just set aside and after the change in administrations in 2004 the office that he founded became politicized and the government has turned its back on the recommendations."
So you see Roy why in DR EVERTHING is political and therefore a national review board bolstered by independent international experts might give us a better hope for a serious attempt at dealing with this potential devastating problem.
Written by: RoyStone, 3 Feb 2012 8:48 AM
From: Australia
josean,
Dominicans distrust foreigners even more than their own government.
I continue to be amazed at the general lack of interest in politics here. I much prefer someone who disagrees strongly with my opinion than someone with no opinion at all. If people don't exercise their democratic rights they lose them. It has already happened here before.
Belief in real, secular institutions, no-matter how imperfect, is better than belief in the imaginary.
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The Red Cross have already re-built Santo Domingo once. I don't think they will again.
If you live in constant fear, that is not life.
However, I wouldn't live in a SD high rise if you gave it to me.
And I have many bottles of fresh water just in case.
Another insightful report from the Dominican Institute for Research of Stuff We Already Know!
If it toppels then who will pay. The Dominican government?
They had to borrow money for the Christmas bonus.
The Governments to date have been a international joke.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
I always feel comforted that my home is more than 200 years old and the cathedral is more than 400 years old and there are few cracks in either so maybe it is best to live in a well maintained old home ..it is the test of time
MAN U LOVE EVERY THING IN THE DR.?
BUT THIS TIME U HAVE GREAT THOUGHTS, I ALSO THINK IF THE BIG ONE COMES U SHOULD STAY IN ONE OF YOUR WELL BUILT HOMES.
JUST U HAD A BUILDER FROM JAPAN BUILD THE HOME FOR U? LOL
YOUR A FUNNY GUY MR RICKY, BUT NO ONE IS LAUGHING. LETS SEE HOW COMFORTED U ARE WITH YOUR ROOF ON YOUR HEAD.
they now have over 800 million users.
they say the company is worth $800- 100 billion dollars.
not bad the founder of face book is only 27y old.
have a great day in la-la land.
complain again? its like your opinions are handed down by god, so when you get your way [and of course your way is the way}.
Some buildings in Pompeii were much older than yours when the inhabitants were buried in hot volcanic ash. Still you are not alone. This whole country is a fool's paradise. Relax and enjoy your Presidente.
I feel that the responsible thing for the” government” to do would be to convene a national review board of construction experts to review our current vulnerabilities in the structures already built and in our current building codes.
To give the "review board" maximum credibility and to depoliticize the issue, especially in the current election cycle, it should be bolstered by non-national independent experts as well.
I consider this should be done yesterday as this is a matter of National Security for the country!
We can't predict when we are going to get a flat tire either, or if we ever will, yet we still carry a spare tire or a can of Fix-A-Flat just in case!
I think one more tremor, a little stronger than the last will cause prices to plummet and mortgages to move into negative equity. That's when the sh¡t will hit the fan.
Roy,
I hope your wrong but in any event, we should prepare for the worst and hope for the best!
As Yogi says "This is like deja vu all over again.”
Country needs seismic measures now
Leonardo Reyes Madera, the engineer who heads the Society of Seismology and Seismic Engineering, told Hoy newspaper that the nation's schools all need to be structurally reinforced. He said: "So many years saying the same thing and the authorities still have not wanted to look at the schools, hospitals and other public buildings."
The Society expressed concern yesterday because despite the country's high level of earthquake risk, the government has not accepted the suggestions to strengthen the schools and other public buildings.
The members of the society say that the authorities have not learned from the disastrous earthquake in Haiti just two years ago.
Reyes Madera recalled that in 2003 the National Office of Seismic and Vulnerability (Onesvie) looked at the schools that should be reinforced and so far, not one has been worked on.
Continued:
Reyes Madera, Rafael Corominas, Hector O'Reilly and Romeo Llinas all attended the Weekly Luncheon at the Corripio Communications Group to talk about this issue. They mentioned the 6.4-magnitude earthquake in 2003 that caused two schools in Puerto Plata to collapse. The schools were rebuilt, but on the same structural lines, which suggests that nothing was learned. Rafael Corominas, perhaps the leading seismological engineer in the field and founder of Onesvie, said that the 2003 study was just set aside and after the change in administrations in 2004 the office that he founded became politicized and the government has turned its back on the recommendations.
From Zooma's DR1
"Rafael Corominas, perhaps the leading seismological engineer in the field and founder of Onesvie, said that the 2003 study was just set aside and after the change in administrations in 2004 the office that he founded became politicized and the government has turned its back on the recommendations."
So you see Roy why in DR EVERTHING is political and therefore a national review board bolstered by independent international experts might give us a better hope for a serious attempt at dealing with this potential devastating problem.
Dominicans distrust foreigners even more than their own government.
I continue to be amazed at the general lack of interest in politics here. I much prefer someone who disagrees strongly with my opinion than someone with no opinion at all. If people don't exercise their democratic rights they lose them. It has already happened here before.
Belief in real, secular institutions, no-matter how imperfect, is better than belief in the imaginary.