Santo Domingo. – President Luis Abinader assured that the Government is developing an extensive program for the evaluation, reinforcement, and rehabilitation of strategic infrastructure to reduce the country’s vulnerability to a potential earthquake, following the recommendations of national and international experts in structural engineering.
The head of state explained that, following technical evaluations carried out by specialists, the Government has executed interventions on bridges, schools, and other public works considered to be at higher risk, and highlighted the work carried out by the National Office for Seismic Assessment and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings (Onesvie), led by engineer Leonardo Reyes Madera, whose recommendations have served as the basis for the actions undertaken by the Government.
“We are correcting and rebuilding infrastructure where it has been necessary,” he stated.
The head of state reported that repair and reinforcement work is currently being carried out on around 50 bridges nationwide, as part of a preventive program to ensure the safety of the population, and recalled that technical evaluations allowed for the timely identification of the deterioration of the La Vega bridge, which prompted the restriction of its use before its collapse.
“We had prohibited transit because we had already carried out the corresponding investigations and, thank God, action was taken in time,” he noted.
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Likewise, he indicated that the Francisco del Rosario Sánchez bridge (17th bridge), the La Barquita bridge, and several underpasses that presented structural conditions requiring attention have also been intervened.
Regarding educational infrastructure, the president explained that the Government has concentrated efforts on buildings located in areas of higher seismic risk, particularly in the vicinity of the Septentrional fault, considered one of the most active in the country.
As part of those preventive actions, he reported that between 40 and 50 schools have been evacuated due to structural conditions that made their intervention necessary.
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“We have made decisions to improve those schools and ensure the safety of students, teachers, and administrative staff,” he/she stated.
The president specified that no country can claim to be completely prepared to face a major earthquake; however, he assured that the Dominican Republic has adopted all the technical measures recommended by specialists to strengthen the resilience of its infrastructure.
In addition, he explained that one of the main areas of concern corresponds to buildings constructed before the implementation of the national seismic code in 1979, when the country did not yet have mandatory seismic design standards.
“Buildings prior to that date are the ones that require the most attention, and that is where we are concentrating a good part of our efforts,” he indicated.
Finally, the president reiterated that the Government will continue to implement the technical recommendations of specialized agencies to strengthen public infrastructure and reduce risks in the face of potential natural events, with the goal of protecting the lives of citizens and ensuring safer facilities throughout the national territory.
This information was offered during an interview granted to journalists Edith Febles and José Monegro.
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Presidential Press Office
