A moderate 4.5-magnitude earthquake rattled coastal areas of the Dominican Republic early Monday, triggering tremors that reached the capital region but leaving no harm or destruction in its wake, local officials confirmed.
The seismic event was recorded at 1:01 a.m. local time, researchers from the Seismological Institute of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) confirmed. Mapping data places the earthquake’s epicenter roughly 16.9 kilometers south of the town of Sánchez, in the northeastern Samaná province, with the tremor originating at a depth of 14.7 kilometers below the Earth’s surface.
Prominent Dominican geologist Osiris de León noted that shaking from the quake was widespread across the region. Residents across the entire Samaná Peninsula reported feeling the tremor, with perceptible movement also registered in Nagua, the broader Northeast region, Bajo Yuna, Monte Plata, and the densely populated Greater Santo Domingo area.
As of mid-morning Monday, national emergency and geological authorities have not received any reports of human casualties, injuries, or structural damage to buildings or infrastructure across the affected regions. The country’s emergency management agencies remain on standby to monitor any aftershock activity and respond to potential secondary impacts.