Island evacuated following 1,000 earthquakes in just two weeks
 

About a dozen people evacuated a remote island in southwestern Japan on Friday, the day after a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 hit the area following about two weeks of smaller quakes.
 

Akuseki Island on the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture logged a quake measuring in the lower 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 Thursday afternoon. All 76 people on the island at the time were soon confirmed to be uninjured.
 

As quakes of up to a 4 on the scale hit the island on Friday morning, the 13 evacuees, including children and the elderly, boarded a ferry readied by the village of Toshima, the municipality covering the island.
 

Village officials said there could be more evacuees to come as some people may not have been able to apply for passage on the vessel in time.
 

A quake measuring a lower 6 is described by the weather agency as a level at which it becomes difficult to remain standing, with possible damage to building tiles and windows.
 

The Tokara island chain region has been hit by over 1,000 felt quakes since June 21, with quakes measuring in the lower 5 logged on Monday and Wednesday, according to a local meteorological observatory.
 

In December 2021, a quake with a seismic intensity of a lower 5 struck Akuseki Island, also prompting some islanders to flee to the main island of Kyushu and Amami Island nearby to the south.

 

Source : https://japantoday.com/category/national/update2-strong-quake-shakes-southwest-japan-islands-amid-continued-temblors

Comprehension

What was the magnitude of the strongest earthquake mentioned in the article?
How many people were on Akuseki Island when the quake struck?
Were there any injuries reported after the earthquake?
What kind of transportation was used to evacuate people from the island?
Who arranged the ferry for the evacuees?
Why might there be more evacuees later on?
What can happen during a quake measuring “lower 6” on Japan’s scale?
How many quakes have hit the Tokara island region since June 21?
When was the last major quake to affect Akuseki Island before this?
What did people do in 2021 when a strong quake hit the island?

Discussion

How would you feel if you had to evacuate because of an earthquake?
Do earthquakes happen in your country? If so, how do people prepare?
Why is it important to have evacuation plans for small or remote islands?
What are some things people should pack when evacuating?
Do you think living on a remote island is safe or risky? Why?
Should governments provide faster transportation during natural disasters?
How can technology help people stay safe during earthquakes?
What should schools teach students about earthquake safety?
Have you ever felt an earthquake before? What was the experience like?
What other natural disasters do you think are difficult to prepare for?

Vocabulary

Evacuate – to leave a place because it is dangerous
Remote – far from cities or people; isolated
Magnitude – the size or strength of an earthquake
Seismic intensity – a measure of how strong an earthquake feels in a specific location
Municipality – a local government or town authority
Ferry – a boat that carries people or goods across water
Observatory – a place or group that watches and studies natural events like weather or earthquakes
Prompt – to cause someone to take action quickly