Leonardo de Jesús Reyes Madera called for strengthening building assessments and seismic prevention measures during the conference "Prevention 360: When the Earth Shakes"
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic– The Director General of the National Office for Seismic Evaluation and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings (Onesvie), engineer Leonardo de Jesús Reyes Madera, warned about the seismic vulnerability of various buildings and infrastructure in the Dominican Republic, while also highlighting the need to strengthen prevention and mitigation measures in the face of possible earthquakes.
During his participation in the conference "Prevention 360: When the Earth Shakes", held with the aim of raising collective awareness about seismic risks, the official presented an analysis of the country's structural conditions and the challenges related to the protection of essential infrastructure.
Reyes Madera's presentation, entitled "Overview of the seismic vulnerability of buildings, infrastructure and lifelines in the Dominican Republic: a view from Onesvie", addressed the factors that affect the safety of constructions and the importance of continuing to strengthen technical evaluation processes.
70% of the hospitals evaluated could be taken out of service
One of the most relevant pieces of data presented during the conference relates to the vulnerability of hospitals. According to figures presented by the director of Onesvie, of the 87 hospitals evaluated, approximately 70% could be rendered inoperable in the event of a major earthquake.
This situation highlights the need to promote mitigation measures and structural reinforcement that contribute to preserving the operational capacity of these establishments during an emergency.
The official also highlighted the importance of paying attention to other strategic infrastructure, such as educational centers, bridges and essential buildings, whose operation is crucial to ensuring the continuity of services and facilitating the authorities' response to a disaster.
In this sense, technical assessments allow the identification of structural weaknesses and the establishment of intervention priorities to reduce the potential damage caused by an earthquake.
Onesvie calls for strengthening earthquake preparedness
Furthermore, Reyes Madera explained that the assessments carried out by Onesvie contribute to identifying vulnerability conditions, formulating technical recommendations, and providing information that facilitates decision-making regarding the safety of buildings and infrastructure in the national territory.
Based on these diagnoses, the responsible institutions can determine the necessary measures to improve the structural conditions of existing buildings and reduce risks to the population.
Similarly, the director of the entity emphasized the importance of adopting a comprehensive vision of seismic prevention, which includes the evaluation of structures, compliance with building regulations, and institutional strengthening.
These aspects are complemented by the promotion of a preventative culture in all sectors of society, with the aim of improving preparedness for potential earthquakes and reducing their consequences.
National and international specialists participate in the conference
The event brought together national and international specialists to analyze the risks associated with earthquakes and share experiences on disaster management and reduction.
Among the exhibitors were Charles Huyck, co-founder and executive vice president of ImageCat, and Ashley Morales-Cartagena, a civil engineer specializing in geotechnical engineering and seismic resilience, who shared knowledge about risk assessment and strategies to strengthen preparedness for natural phenomena.
The meeting took place in the Horacio Álvarez Saviñón auditorium of the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National University (UNPHU) and included the participation of representatives of the SIN Group, including its director, Fernando Hasbún; its vice president, Alicia Ortega; Dominique Hasbún Ortega, administrative director; and the journalist Jessica Hasbún.
Also in attendance were Gloria Ceballos, director of the Dominican Institute of Meteorology (INDOMET), and geologist Osiris de León, along with representatives of public institutions and professionals linked to risk management.
The conference reaffirmed the importance of promoting knowledge about seismic vulnerability and strengthening infrastructure assessment as part of efforts to protect the population and ensure the continuity of essential services in the event of earthquakes.
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