The warning coincides with the commemoration of the 79th anniversary of the devastating 1946 earthquake
Santo Domingo.– The general director of the National Office of Seismic Evaluation and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings (Onesvie), Leonardo Reyes Madera, warned about the urgency of redoubling efforts in seismic prevention and improving the structural conditions of public and private buildings, with the aim of reducing vulnerability and saving lives.
Reyes Madera emphasized that
“the key is to invest in proactive actions and not wait for disasters to surprise us”. He indicated that Onesvie constantly works on the
priority assessments of critical infrastructures, such as schools and hospitals, and that some buildings have already been relocated or reinforced after the diagnoses made.
The official recalled that the country is in a high seismic zone and that each year represents a challenge for the safety of the population. “Building a culture of resilience requires education and community participation. We cannot let our guard down against risks that are latent,” he emphasized during an interview for the program Despierta con CDN.
I also explain that “Seismic risk is not a future threat, it is a latent reality, if we work together on prevention, diagnosis and education, we can avoid human and economic losses,” concluded Reyes Madera.
The warning coincides with the
commemoration of the 79th anniversary of the devastating 1946 earthquake, of magnitude 8.1, which affected the northeast of the country and generated a
tsunami of more than 16 feet, causing deaths and destruction in locations such as Matancita, in the province of María Trinidad Sánchez.
You may be interested in: 5.2-magnitude earthquake recorded in waters near Saona Island
The National Seismic Evaluation Office has developed technical training, structural vulnerability assessments, and the promotion of stricter regulations in recent months. It is currently working actively on various information campaigns and drills to raise public awareness about the appropriate response to a seismic event.
About Onesvie
The National Office of Seismic Evaluation and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings (Onesvie)
was created by Decree 715-01 in the year 2001, with the purpose of reducing seismic vulnerability in buildings, infrastructure and vital lines and proposing corrective solutions.
Works on identifying structural vulnerabilities to prevent disasters, offering services such as seismic assessments, technical diagnostics, consulting, training, and prevention protocols, especially in key infrastructures like schools, hospitals, and government buildings.
