What the record shows for Dominican Republic
The strongest earthquake on record near Dominican Republic is a magnitude 7.8 in 1946, centred 16 km NNW of Miches, Dominican Republic - 80 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 612 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Dominican Republic - roughly 31 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
The NOAA NCEI database records 15 tsunamis within 300 km of Dominican Republic between 1751 and 2010. The most significant was in 2010 near Haiti & Dominican Republic, triggered by an M7.0 earthquake, which killed around 316,000 people.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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The Dominican Republic lies on the active boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Dominican Republic.
Earthquake risk in Dominican Republic - FAQ
Is Dominican Republic at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 31 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 300 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M7.8 in 1946.
What was the biggest earthquake in Dominican Republic?
The strongest earthquake on record near Dominican Republic is M7.8, in 1946 (16 km NNW of Miches, Dominican Republic), from USGS.
Does Dominican Republic get tsunamis?
Yes - 15 tsunamis since 1751 (most recently 2010) within 300 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 316,000 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Dominican Republic?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.