The geologist urges strengthening the building code and evaluating buildings that are more than 30 years old.
SANTO DOMINGO – Geologist Osiris de León warned that the frequent micro-earthquakes that occur in the country silently weaken buildings, especially those that have been in operation for decades.
“Every tremor, even a slight one, creates micro-cracks in the concrete. You can’t see them, but they’re there , and rainwater, which is acidic, gets in through those cracks. Over time, that deteriorates the cement and rusts the reinforcing bars,” he explained.
He pointed out that in areas with saltpeter, acid rain, and constant seismic activity, structures lose strength rapidly. “We can have up to 300 earthquakes . Each one contributes to the deterioration of the structures,” he stated.
De León recalled that if an earthquake like the one on August 4, 1946, with a magnitude of 8.1, followed by a 7.6 aftershock four days later, were to occur today, the damage would be catastrophic, especially in the Cibao region. “We are not prepared. Our schools and hospitals are not earthquake-resistant,” she warned in statements made on the program “Deyanira en Alta Voz,” broadcast via YouTube.
The specialist criticized the large number of informal construction projects in the country. He indicated that approximately 75% of construction work is carried out by untrained : “In the neighborhoods, it's the bricklayer who does the building. There are no engineers, architects, or members of the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects, and Surveyors (CODIA) supervising these projects. That should be prohibited by law.”
He also rejected the practice of repeating construction models in different areas without taking into account the type of soil. “You can’t use the same design for a school in a hard rock area like Naco, and repeat it in Los Ríos, Pantoja, or Los Alcarrizos, where there are clay or sandy soils. That’s a serious mistake.”
De León urged the government to conduct microzonation of all urban centers and to legislate that buildings older than 30 years undergo rigorous technical evaluation. “We don’t learn. Cases like the collapse of the wall in the Máximo Gómez tunnel or what happened at the Jet Set are warnings that the country must take seriously.”
Finally, he stated that natural phenomena are not the government's fault, but the failure to make the necessary investments is: "First, in educating the population , and second, in strengthening the building code to make it more robust."
Photo: External source.
