NewsWhore
03-21-2011, 03:10 PM
Santiago is preparing for a major earthquake. During a workshop, "Improving the Resilience of Municipalities in the DR in the light of Natural Phenomena and Risks" held at the Centro Leon, a study on the micro-zoning of the city was unveiled. Santiago is considered to be the city most vulnerable to earthquakes in the DR. In 2003, Puerto Plata, half an hour away from Santiago, suffered a 6.5 quake with extensive damage, but minimal loss of life, increasing awareness of the phenomenon. Santiago was affected by strong shakes at the time also causing material damage.
Participants at the meeting included specialists Carol Prentice from the US Geological Survey, Eduardo Fierro, Eduardo Miranda, Santiago Munoz, Eusebio Lopera Caballero, Miriam Belvaux, Victor Huerfano, Jose Gonzalez Angulo, Luz Amanda Pulido, Jose Arnaldo Serulle, Orlando Franco, Fernando Rojas, Victor Suarez and Leonardo Reyes Madera and Rafael Corominas Pepin.
Seismologists Leonardo Reyes Madera and Victor Suarez reiterated their warning that a large number of public buildings would suffer considerable damage in a strong earthquake. Suarez said that 61% of the public schools in Santiago are vulnerable to a strong earthquake and Reyes Madera repeated his warning that the Cabral y Baez public hospital would suffer major damage.
Carol Prentice of the US Geological Survey warned that the expected earthquake would affect other cities in the Cibao along the Septentrional Fault.
During the workshop, Santiago Grullon of the National Geological Service showed the most vulnerable areas, notably the communities of Pedro Garcia and Carlos Diaz.
Luis Pena, who heads the recently created Municipal Institute for Risk Management, said that the priority is to plan for an earthquake or hurricane. He said that during hurricanes, flooding is what causes most damage. The plan also involves reinforcing the vulnerable buildings.
Santiago Mayor Gilberto Serulle said that the municipal authorities are planning to prepare risk evaluations and use these as a base for plans and urban development decisions. "This will enable us to intervene in the critical infrastructure, reduce risks in the case of drainage systems so that climate change doesn't take us by surprise," he said, as reported in El Caribe.
http://www.ig.utexas.edu/outreach/dr_earthquake/press_conference/mann.pdf
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)
Participants at the meeting included specialists Carol Prentice from the US Geological Survey, Eduardo Fierro, Eduardo Miranda, Santiago Munoz, Eusebio Lopera Caballero, Miriam Belvaux, Victor Huerfano, Jose Gonzalez Angulo, Luz Amanda Pulido, Jose Arnaldo Serulle, Orlando Franco, Fernando Rojas, Victor Suarez and Leonardo Reyes Madera and Rafael Corominas Pepin.
Seismologists Leonardo Reyes Madera and Victor Suarez reiterated their warning that a large number of public buildings would suffer considerable damage in a strong earthquake. Suarez said that 61% of the public schools in Santiago are vulnerable to a strong earthquake and Reyes Madera repeated his warning that the Cabral y Baez public hospital would suffer major damage.
Carol Prentice of the US Geological Survey warned that the expected earthquake would affect other cities in the Cibao along the Septentrional Fault.
During the workshop, Santiago Grullon of the National Geological Service showed the most vulnerable areas, notably the communities of Pedro Garcia and Carlos Diaz.
Luis Pena, who heads the recently created Municipal Institute for Risk Management, said that the priority is to plan for an earthquake or hurricane. He said that during hurricanes, flooding is what causes most damage. The plan also involves reinforcing the vulnerable buildings.
Santiago Mayor Gilberto Serulle said that the municipal authorities are planning to prepare risk evaluations and use these as a base for plans and urban development decisions. "This will enable us to intervene in the critical infrastructure, reduce risks in the case of drainage systems so that climate change doesn't take us by surprise," he said, as reported in El Caribe.
http://www.ig.utexas.edu/outreach/dr_earthquake/press_conference/mann.pdf
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)