NewsWhore
03-14-2011, 03:30 PM
The DR is prepared to deal with a catastrophic earthquake, but its capacity to react will depend on the severity of the tremor. Since 2009, local emergency forces have been trained with the support of international institutions like the United Nations, the Inter-American Development Bank and the United States Southern Command.
As reported in Listin Diario, this capacity was tested when the earthquake occurred in Haiti, and Dominican rescuers were among the first to bring effective relief.
General Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the National Emergency Commission that serves as a coordinating body at times of national disaster, said that 23 institutions would work together when the need arises. He said the Red Cross alone has 23,000 volunteers, and there is a blood bank with ample supplies. He said other institutions in the CNE coalition are the Armed Forces, the Civil Defense, the National Police and the Community Cafeterias (Comedores Economicos), all with trained volunteers and staff.
Meanwhile, Geologist Osiris de Leon says the DR is not prepared to deal with an earthquake of the magnitude of the one that hit Japan because its buildings are not resistant enough.
De Leon confirmed that the island of Hispaniola is in an area with a "high seismic risk", and that the government knows this. His criticism is that knowing this reality, the President, Leonel Fernandez, has not put into practice the Anti-seismic Construction Code that is in his office. He told reporters from Hoy that the government was "irresponsibly testing its luck". Recalling the geological history of the Cibao region, de Leon reminded reporters that there have been six major earthquakes since 1562 (when Santiago was destroyed), and the experience of recent events in Japan should be a lesson for other nations. He said that the earthquake of barely 7.0 on the Richter scale had destroyed the Haitian capital last year and caused an estimated 300,000 deaths. De Leon was especially critical of the construction of schools and hospitals without applying the anti-seismic codes.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
As reported in Listin Diario, this capacity was tested when the earthquake occurred in Haiti, and Dominican rescuers were among the first to bring effective relief.
General Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the National Emergency Commission that serves as a coordinating body at times of national disaster, said that 23 institutions would work together when the need arises. He said the Red Cross alone has 23,000 volunteers, and there is a blood bank with ample supplies. He said other institutions in the CNE coalition are the Armed Forces, the Civil Defense, the National Police and the Community Cafeterias (Comedores Economicos), all with trained volunteers and staff.
Meanwhile, Geologist Osiris de Leon says the DR is not prepared to deal with an earthquake of the magnitude of the one that hit Japan because its buildings are not resistant enough.
De Leon confirmed that the island of Hispaniola is in an area with a "high seismic risk", and that the government knows this. His criticism is that knowing this reality, the President, Leonel Fernandez, has not put into practice the Anti-seismic Construction Code that is in his office. He told reporters from Hoy that the government was "irresponsibly testing its luck". Recalling the geological history of the Cibao region, de Leon reminded reporters that there have been six major earthquakes since 1562 (when Santiago was destroyed), and the experience of recent events in Japan should be a lesson for other nations. He said that the earthquake of barely 7.0 on the Richter scale had destroyed the Haitian capital last year and caused an estimated 300,000 deaths. De Leon was especially critical of the construction of schools and hospitals without applying the anti-seismic codes.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)