Two Small Earthquakes Shake Beniel, Felt in Alicante and Murcia
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Two light earthquakes shook the area near Beniel, a town in the Region of Murcia, early in the morning. The first had a magnitude of 3.1, and the second reached 3.0.
Both earthquakes were felt by people living in Beniel and in nearby towns. Residents in the Vega Baja area of Alicante also noticed the shaking.
Magnitude is a number used to describe the strength of an earthquake. A magnitude around 3.0 is usually considered light and rarely causes damage.
This is not the first time Beniel has experienced small tremors. The town has seen similar earthquakes in the past, and many residents are familiar with this kind of activity.
No major problems were reported after these two events. The earthquakes were part of normal seismic activity that sometimes happens in this part of Spain.
Local authorities did not report any serious damage. Experts say small earthquakes like these are common in areas with active fault lines underground.
People in the affected towns described feeling a short shake during the night. Such experiences can be surprising, but experts note that light tremors like this are usually harmless.
Vocabulary10 words
- earthquake
- a sudden shaking of the ground
- magnitude
- a number showing how strong an earthquake is
- Vega Baja
- an area in the province of Alicante
- tremor
- a small shaking movement of the ground
- seismic
- related to earthquakes
- fault line
- a crack under the ground where earthquakes can start
- resident
- a person who lives in a place
- damage
- harm or destruction
- authorities
- people or groups in charge, like the government
- harmless
- not able to cause damage or hurt
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Beniel (Murcia) and the Vega Baja area (Alicante) 2. It is a light earthquake that rarely causes damage 3. False
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Two light earthquakes shook the area near Beniel, a town in the Region of Murcia, early in the _____. The first had a magnitude of 3.1, and the second reached 3.0.
Both earthquakes were felt by people living in Beniel and in nearby towns. _____ in the Vega Baja area of Alicante also noticed the shaking.
Magnitude is a number used to describe the _____ of an earthquake. A magnitude around 3.0 is usually considered light and rarely causes damage.
This is not the first time Beniel has experienced small _____. The town has seen similar earthquakes in the past, and many residents are familiar with this kind of activity.
No major problems were reported after these two events. The earthquakes were part of normal _____ activity that sometimes happens in this part of Spain.
Local _____ did not report any serious damage. Experts say small earthquakes like these are common in areas with active fault lines underground.
People in the affected towns described feeling a short shake during the _____. Such experiences can be surprising, but experts note that light tremors like this are usually _____.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever felt an earthquake? What was it like?
- Why do you think some areas experience earthquakes more often than others?
- What should people do to stay safe during small earthquakes?
- Do you think local authorities give enough information to people about earthquakes in their area?
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