Granada shakes again with about twenty earthquakes overnight
Listen to the story
The city of Granada, in southern Spain, was shaken by earthquakes again early this morning.
Around twenty small tremors were recorded during the night. Half of them were felt by the local population.
These tremors are aftershocks, smaller earthquakes that follow a larger one.
The original, stronger earthquake happened near AlhendÃn, a town close to Granada.
After a big earthquake, it is common for the ground to keep moving with smaller shakes for days or weeks.
The repeated tremors have worried many residents, especially those whose homes may already have cracks or weak walls.
To check the safety of buildings, a team of 16 volunteer architects has been working in Granada.
These experts are inspecting homes and other buildings for damage caused by the earthquakes.
They are working quickly, almost against the clock, because people need to know if their homes are safe to live in.
The architects look for cracks, weak walls and other signs of structural damage.
If a building is not safe, people may need to leave it until it is repaired.
Local authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, as more aftershocks are possible.
Scientists say this pattern of repeated tremors after a strong earthquake is completely normal and usually becomes weaker over time.
Vocabulary10 words
- tremor
- a small shake of the ground
- aftershock
- a smaller earthquake that comes after a big one
- crack
- a thin break in a wall or building
- architect
- a person trained to plan and check buildings
- against the clock
- working very fast because time is short
- structural damage
- serious harm to the main parts of a building
- resident
- a person who lives in a place
- monitor
- to watch something closely over time
- authorities
- the people or groups in charge
- population
- all the people living in an area
Quiz
Answer key
1. They are aftershocks from an earlier, stronger earthquake near AlhendÃn 2. Checking buildings for earthquake damage 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The city of Granada, in southern Spain, was shaken by earthquakes again early this _____.
Around twenty small tremors were _____ during the night.
Half of them were felt by the local _____.
These tremors are aftershocks, smaller earthquakes that follow a larger _____.
The original, stronger earthquake happened near _____, a town close to Granada.
The repeated tremors have worried many residents, especially those whose homes may already have _____ or weak walls.
To check the safety of buildings, a team of 16 volunteer _____ has been working in Granada.
They are working quickly, almost against the _____, because people need to know if their homes are safe.
The architects look for cracks, weak walls and other signs of structural _____.
Local authorities continue to _____ the situation closely, as more aftershocks are possible.
Discussion questions
- Why do aftershocks happen after a big earthquake?
- Why is it important to check buildings quickly after an earthquake?
- Would you feel safe staying in your home after an earthquake? Why or why not?
- What other jobs, apart from architects, might help a city recover after an earthquake?