Dominican Republic sets September 8 for Nationwide Earthquake Evacuation Drill

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic will conduct its 2026 National Earthquake Evacuation Drill on Tuesday, September 8, at 10:00 a.m., with the participation of public and private institutions, schools, social organizations and citizens nationwide.

The announcement was made by Minister of the Presidency Andrés Bautista, together with COE Director Edwin Olivares and Civil Defense Director Carlos Paulino. The exercise, ordered by President Luis Abinader, aims to strengthen the country’s preparedness, response and recovery capabilities in the event of a major earthquake.

During the drill, sirens, whistles and loudspeakers will be activated across the country. Authorities will also test a nationwide alert system that will send an instant message to mobile phones at the start of the exercise.

Olivares stressed that earthquakes provide no warning, making preparation and knowledge of self-protection measures essential to reducing risks and saving lives. The drill will allow authorities and participants to practice evacuation procedures, evaluate response capabilities and identify areas for improvement.

Emergency response institutions will also test their coordination and activation mechanisms to ensure the country can respond in an organized manner not only during an evacuation, but also to the potential consequences of a major earthquake.