The anti-seismic standards are not met in new buildings
There were buildings that endured the quake. One of them is located on the corner of Baquerizo Moreno and Junin streets. The same that 74 years later is still standing. It was the Pauker hotel, called today Elite International. “We had a big scare,” said yesterday Jose Cisnero, its administrator. “But after this, the building is still intact.”
“It should be taken into account the type of soil on which a construction is laid down,” says Vera, who believes that much of the damage observed is originating from what is known as ‘site effect.’ “Guayaquil´s soil is of clay compound, which amplifies the seismic movement.”
Caicedo said that those buildings built in the 40s and 50s, had no tools to determine with certainty the behavior of a structure, so they took more securities. “We see buildings with very robust columns. This is one of the characteristics of these works.”
Source: http://expreso.ec/