1. IT’S TIME TO TAKE ACTION!
Santo Domingo’s Earthquake
Risks BY: MARIA B., SOFIA GONZALEZ,
FERNANDA CUEVAS

2. The Problem
Santo Domingo’s
increased construction
is impacting the city’s
urban earthquake risk.
The government has to
take action!
The risk is
15,443.348 people
per kilometer

3. Major Earthquakes
May 11, 1910 : A strong earthquake hit the island causing damages in various cities.
October 6, 1911 : An earthquake reaching 7 in the Richter Scale hit the country.
October 11, 1918 : An earthquake, reaching 7.5 in the Richter Scale, shakes the
country producing panic.
August 4, 1946 : A devastating earthquake, reaching 8.1 in the Richter Scale, caused
a tsunami and was felt throughout the whole country causing lots of structural damages.
January 8, 1962 : Earthquake with an intensity of 6.5 in Richter Scale produces
serious damages in Dominican cities.
June 11, 1971 : Seismic movement that reached 6.1 in Richter Scale. Damages caused
mostly in Santo Domingo .
March 23, 1979 : Seismic movement that reached 6.1 in Richter Scale. Caused
damages in La Romana, San Pedro de Macoris, and Santo Domingo.
June 24, 1984 : Earthquake reaching 6.7 in Richter Scale. Caused damages in the
south east of the island.
What this is telling us is that a major earthquake is on
its way and we should be prepared!

4. Santo Domingo has
approximately...:
1 hospital every 8 sq. km.
1 police station every 10 sq. km.
1 fire station every 9 sq. km.
According to this information there are very few
hospitals, police, and fire stations. There are only
11 fire stations, 10 police stations, and 13
hospitals in Santo Domingo. This is very few for a
population of 2,084, 852

5. Is Santo Domingo ready for
a major earthquake?
-----------------------------
Is this city and its citizens
prepared?

6. NO,NO!
From the survey some
dominicans took 98%
said they had never
participated on an
earthquake drill.
51% didn’t know
what to do during an
earthquake.

7. BUILDING CODES: OUTDATED
“Earthquakes don’t kill people...
buildings do.”
The building code in the Dominican Republic is very
outdated. It has never changed for 30 years. A new code is
needed in order for this country to be able to withstand a
mayor earthquake that might hit soon.
Since this code is outdated when a major earthquake
hits many homes and buildings will be destroyed. It
increases the urban earthquake risk of the city.

8. The Dominican government needs
to take action...
Here are some steps the government can take in order to
prepare the city and the citizens for a mayor earthquake
that is evident.
It should teach citizens what to do before,
during, and after an earthquake. It should also
create an earthquake drill for families to be able
to know what to do.
The government should create a new building
code for houses to be a safer place for families to
live.
It should also use developed countries as an
example on how to improve the country to make
it a safer place to live.

9. Let’s Use these cities as examples!
Seattle San Francisco
Seattle is using Seattle and San Francisco San Francisco is
valves to be able to lock reconstructing
some water tanks so building to enhance
that broken tanks earthquake safety.
don’t completely drain
the tank. Bolting all
furniture on the
It has also adapted walls of the
new building codes. Santo Domingo buildings to support
the weight.

10. Conclusion:
A major earthquake is on its way. This city is not prepared
and it needs to take action. From the survey we can deduce
that people don’t now what to do during an earthquake and
so it tells us that they have to be taught. Another way for
this city to get prepared is by changing the building codes
to make homes a safer place. Santo Domingo could also take
as an example what developed cities are doing in order to
decrease the urban earthquake risk. The future of the city
lays in the government’s hands.
Sources:
http://cmspbl.wiki.zoho.com/Grp1-G.html http://cmspbl.wiki.zoho.com/grp4-B.html
http://cmspbl.wiki.zoho.com/grp2-G.html http://cmspbl.wiki.zoho.com/grp5-G.html
http://cmspbl.wiki.zoho.com/grp3-F.html

11. LET’S TAKE ACTION
LET’S DECREASE THE
URBAN EARTHQUAKE
RISK OF SANTO
DOMINGO!