I'm back from a 3 day meeting in Dominican Republic on the 6 month anniversary of the Haiti quake. The meeting was a mix of science, and then earthquake engineering and politics. I presented on the first day on folding and thrusting in Haiti. Especially after the first day, much of the meeting was in Spanish, which I have not studied since 3rd grade, when I learned several words. But, I saw Steve Martin do his stand-up comedy 30 years ago and part of his act was that Spanish is rather easy ("Donde esta el Case de Pee-pee").

Of interest are presentations that the construction in Dominican Republic is about the same as in Haiti, with strong cement floors supported by weak columns not well tied to the floors. It sounds like Santiago (of Dominican Republic, founded in 1495 and now with 2 million residents according to Wikapedia), is really vulnerable, because it is built on a sedimentary basin and across the Septentrional fault, which has not had an earthquake in 800 years (USGS trench) yet accumulates strain on the order of 10 mm year (800 years times 10 mm/year = 8 m accumulated slip). Another part of this fault had a M8 in the 19th centuary (to west, in Haiti I think).

I also heard someone say (may have been in talk) that the schools are not safe and if a major earthquake occurred they could lose a whole generation of children.

Chris