Seismic and climatic risks will return to the center of public debate in Santo Domingo with the conference Prevention 360, a meeting that will bring together specialists from various disciplines on Tuesday to discuss how to reduce the impact of earthquakes, hurricanes and floods in the Dominican Republic.
The activity will take place on May 19, 2026, from 9:00 am, in the Manuel Rueda Room, at the Plaza Iberoamérica, sector La Esperilla. The call aims at students, technicians, authorities, emergency organizations and citizens interested in risk management.
Seismic and climatic risks in a country exposed
The Dominican Republic lives under a combination of natural threats that forces it to review its prevention plans frequently. The territory is exposed to earthquakes due to its location in the Caribbean arc and also to intense hydro-meteorological events, a reality that repeats every cyclonic season. In that context, seismic and climatic risks are not an academic topic: they are a matter of public safety.
The agenda of Prevention 360 will put on the table urban vulnerability, territorial planning and structural resilience, factors that can make the difference between a controllable emergency and a greater tragedy. Also, an analysis of citizen behavior in crisis situations is expected, a point that usually remains outside technical discussions.
International voices and Dominican experience
Among the guests is the Chilean geographer Marcelo Lagos, known for his studies on earthquakes, tsunamis and disaster risk reduction. His participation will give a comparative view on how other countries in the region prepare for extreme events.
Also, the environmental psychologist Laís Pinto De Carvalho will address the emotional impact of emergencies and how people react to sudden threats. The meteorologist John Morales will bring his experience in tracking hurricanes and atmospheric phenomena in the Caribbean and the United States.
COE, geology and institutional response
The director of the Center of Operations of Emergencies (COE), Juan Manuel Méndez, will expose protocols of response and operational coordination in the country. Alongside him will be the Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, and the geologist Osiris De León, one of the most consulted voices in seismic and geological matters in the Dominican Republic.
- Prevention against earthquakes and hurricanes
- Urban and territorial resilience
- Citizen response capacity
- Preventive education and risk management
Prevention 360 and the culture of prevention
The organizers maintain that Prevention 360 seeks to become a stable public guidance space. The bet is clear: more information, better preparation and less improvisation in the face of natural disasters. In a country where urban density grows and pressure on infrastructure increases, prevention stops being optional.
The conversation about seismic and climatic risks arrives at a time when the Caribbean faces more unpredictable seasons and greater exposure to atmospheric extremes. That’s why the conference will not only serve to share technical knowledge, but also to insist on a basic point: preparation saves lives.
In Santo Domingo, seismic and climatic risks, Prevention 360 and COE will cross paths in the same scenario to put on the table an urgent discussion: how to strengthen prevention before the next emergency occurs. And that conversation, according to the organizers, has just begun.
