DR Joins KIZUNA Closing Seminar on Disaster Risk Preparedness

The Dominican Republic recently took part in the closing seminar of the KIZUNA Project (2015–2026), a decade-long cooperation initiative spearheaded by Chile and Japan to build stronger disaster preparedness across Latin America and the Caribbean. According to Dominican Today, the country was represented by the National Office of Seismic Evaluation and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings (ONESVIE), working alongside the Dominican Embassy in Santiago, Chile.

ONESVIE Director Leonardo Reyes used the platform to share the progress the Dominican Republic has made in evaluating buildings, mapping seismic risks, and improving structural resilience — work that has taken on greater urgency in a region where earthquakes, hurricanes, and flooding are recurring threats.

Why This Matters for Travelers

For visitors and expats, participation in international programs like KIZUNA is more than a diplomatic milestone. It signals continued investment in the systems that keep hotels, airports, hospitals, and public buildings safer during seismic events. The Dominican Republic sits in an active seismic zone in the northern Caribbean, and stronger evaluation standards translate directly into safer infrastructure for the millions of tourists who pass through Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, and Samaná each year.

Practical Takeaways

Travelers do not need to change any plans because of this news, but a few points are worth keeping in mind:

• Know the basics of earthquake safety. Familiarize yourself with the "drop, cover, and hold on" procedure, especially if you are staying in a high-rise resort or a colonial-era building in Santo Domingo's Zona Colonial.
• Check your accommodations. Larger, internationally branded resorts typically follow strict structural codes. If you are booking smaller guesthouses, look for recent construction or verified reviews mentioning building quality.
• Register with your embassy. Most consulates offer free traveler enrollment programs that send alerts during natural disasters.
• Follow official channels. The Centro de Operaciones de Emergencias (COE) is the primary source for civil protection updates in the DR.

The wrap-up of the KIZUNA Project marks the end of one chapter, but as Dominican Today reports, the knowledge and partnerships built over the past ten years are expected to keep shaping the region's approach to disaster risk for years to come.