Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Hits Eastern Japan, Injures Dozens
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 struck eastern Japan on Sunday, affecting the capital, Tokyo. The strong shaking was felt across the wider Kanto region.
According to reports, 37 people were injured because of the quake. Train services were also disrupted, causing delays for many passengers across the affected area.
The Kanto region, which includes Tokyo, is one of the most densely populated parts of Japan. Because of this, even moderate earthquakes can affect a large number of people.
Japanese officials have issued a warning to residents. They said that similar seismic activity could continue over the next week. People have been told to stay alert for possible aftershocks.
Japan sits in a highly active earthquake zone, and earthquakes are common throughout the country. However, this particular quake caused more disruption than usual due to its location near a major city.
Vocabulary10 words
- earthquake
- a sudden strong shaking of the ground
- magnitude
- a number showing how strong an earthquake is
- services
- systems, like trains, that people use regularly
- disrupted
- stopped from working in the normal way
- seismic activity
- movement or shaking caused by earthquakes
- aftershocks
- smaller earthquakes that happen after a bigger one
- warning
- a message telling people about possible danger
- densely populated
- having a lot of people living close together
- residents
- people who live in a certain place
- region
- a large area of a country
Quiz
Answer key
1. Eastern Japan, including Tokyo 2. A warning about more shaking in the next week 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A powerful _____ with a _____ of 5.9 struck eastern Japan on Sunday, affecting the capital, Tokyo. The strong shaking was felt across the wider Kanto region.
According to reports, 37 people were _____ because of the quake. Train _____ were also _____, causing delays for many passengers across the affected area.
Japanese officials have issued a _____ to residents. They said that similar _____ could continue over the next week. People have been told to stay alert for possible _____.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever experienced an earthquake? What happened?
- Why do you think earthquakes near big cities cause more disruption?
- What steps do you think people should take when they receive an earthquake warning?
- Why might Japan be more prepared for earthquakes than other countries?
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