Expert suggests RD to regulate construction

The director of the Institute of Seismology of the University national autonomous of Mexico (UNAM), Gerardo Suárez, recommended Dominican Republic as "more useful way" before an eventual earthquake of great magnitude on the Richter scale, have regulations of proper construction and protection and prevention at the national level programmes.

"Dominican Republic as Mexico are located in a seismic zone, which is why we have to take precautions both short-term and medium-and long-term", said the expert in seismology.

Suárez offered these statements as part of a vídeo-conferencia linked from the Auditorium of UNAM with the virtual room of the Catholic University of Santo Domingo (UCSD), attended by representatives of the Red Cross, Civil Defense, fire department, the Ministry of finance and the General Directorate of internal revenue, among other institutions. "Dominican Republic is one of those sites where the" u000a"earthquakes occur close to populations, different to what happens, as I noted earlier, in Mexico," he added.

Pointed out that the system of early warning that has been implemented in Mexico is not a really useful tool for Dominicans, despite being a known and thrashed method faced with this reality.

"The most useful for Dominicans path is, first, have building regulations suitable for the conditions of geological and seismic of the Dominica Republic and second to have protection and prevention programmes", said.

A system of early warning of earthquakes is a network of accelerometers, communication, computers and alarms, designed for regional notification of an earthquake substantial when it is in progress. Japan, Mexico and Taiwan have early warning systems. The expert cited Haiti as an against example of constructions based on respect for anti-seismic norms, u000apointing out that "in Haiti destruction was widespread, but sadly in Haiti, had not properly a building code;" "in an area of high seismic risk and results we saw are devastating," he noted.

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