4.5 earthquake?

The constructions standards in the Dominican Republic should withstand earthquakes of around 7.0 and above.

North coast i.e. Puerto Plata experiences big quakes, 6 or higher, every 17 years. The last one was 2003. As far as buildings go, as long as you pour each stage together and use heavy rebar you should be fine. Example; all footers poured same day same time together. Then the entire floor including the top of your cistern. Then the roof with collar beam poured all together as well. What a lot of local builders will try to do is build the house then go back and pour each floor separate. This makes for different slabs moving slightly differently during a quake and that will rip your house apart. Of course, you never stay inside a structure during a quake. It's best to go outside and away from buildings, trees etc.

Thanks!  We will definitely be monitoring the build...

But, did anyone feel the quake?  I spent time with my dad when he lived in San Diego and we even had a quake here in Michigan about decade ago?  And it was felt and did some damage...not to stick built houses...but brick siding was cracked.

I'd have to see the brick build you're talking about but most brick builds are no more than a facia layed in front of the actual structure and are not structural. For that you need to be ready to redue it. It's a good and lucky thing it happened at night because all of the school buildings in POP calapsed. We would of lost generations if it happened during the day.
As for feeling the quake. In 03' the first shock hit at 1am, a 7.4i think, then 20 minutes later a second one, 6.8 I believe. My pool had huge waves in it. My horses we freaking out. All my chickens and turkeys were on the ground shaked out of their pirches. For about a month we had tremers every morning at 7am, pretty much on the dot. Friends told me they didn't have to use their alarm clocks to get up for work during those weeks lol.

Did not feel this.last one at all but I have felt others in the country!