Dominican Republic warned of major quake risk as Chile reviews building safety after 27F

Seismic engineer Claudia Germoso warned that the Dominican Republic sits on a highly stressed fault zone, describing the island as a “geological puzzle” where the North American and Caribbean plates collide. She highlighted the Northern Fault, the Enriquillo‑Plantain Garden Fault and a coastal subduction zone as sources of a potential magnitude‑7.5 or greater earthquake, stressing the need for strict seismic codes and emergency planning.

In Chile, a review of building performance after the 27 February 2010 (27F) magnitude‑8.8 Maule earthquake found that most modern structures survived, but dozens of recent apartments suffered serious damage or collapse. Researchers linked failures to reduced structural margins, thin walls, high loads and construction shortcuts driven by profit pressures. The study calls for better oversight to ensure that designed safety reserves are retained in practice.