Dominican Rep.: Series of earthquakes September 23

Event

A series of low-intensity earthquakes has struck the Dominican Republic. A total of 13 earthquakes were recorded on Sunday, September 13, with magnitudes ranging from 3.0 to 5.1 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the strongest seismic movement was located some 3 km (2 mi) northwest of Villa Elisa (Montecristi province). Some buildings were damaged in Montecristi as well as in the region of El Cibao. Further earthquakes are possible in the coming days and weeks.

Context

The Dominican Republic is situated along the same fault line that caused the catastrophic 2010 earthquake in neighboring Haiti, which left hundreds of thousands of people dead.

Advice

During an earthquake, protect your head from falling debris as best you can (e.g. under a table), move away from widows and exterior walls, and only attempt to evacuate if on the ground floor. After a major earthquake, check buildings for damage, including downed power lines or damaged gas lines, and evacuate until the building is declared safe.