:quality(75)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elcomercio/PHAK2ADZCND2FJQ7WMN2J4F2GY.jpg "Tremor in the Dominican Republic today, January 26: latest live seismicity report via CNS | National Center of Seismology | MIX")
Why are there earthquakes in the Dominican Republic?
The Dominican Republic is located in a seismically active region. The island of Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti, is located at the intersection of two major tectonic plates, the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. These are in constant motion and the friction between them can cause earthquakes.
There are two main faults in the Dominican Republic that are responsible for most of the earthquakes in the country. The Northern Fault Zone runs through the northern part of the country, and the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault Zone runs through the southwest. These fault lines can produce earthquakes with magnitudes up to 7.0.
On the other hand, the country is also located in a region where there is a lot of volcanic activity. The country is home to La Amistad National Park, which contains several active volcanoes. Volcanic activity can also cause earthquakes, as magma moving beneath the surface can create stress on tectonic plates.