熊本地震から2週間＜地震を英語でレッスン＞

大きな地震から2週間、熊本では未だに地震が続いています。

今週のバイリンガルコースでは、引き続き地震についてのニュースを取り上げました。

Jolts continue in southwestern Japan　

英語では同じ単語は繰り返し使わない方がよい、とされていることから

同じ意味でも違う単語が頻繁に出てきます。同じ話題のニュースを継続して読むと、

語彙力が格段にアップします。

Jolts continue in southwestern Japan　http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20160428_80/

Thursday marks 2 weeks since the first of 2 powerful earthquakes hit southwestern Japan. Officials are warning of continuing jolts as well as possible landslides triggered by rain.

On April 14th, a magnitude 6.5 quake registered an intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale of zero to 7 in Mashiki town, Kumamoto Prefecture.
Two days later, a magnitude 7.3 quake occurred, also registering the highest intensity in Mashiki and neighboring Nishihara village. As of Thursday morning, 995 quakes with intensities of one or more had hit the region.

Meteorological Agency officials say seismic activity continues. They are calling on people to be on the alert for more jolts.
The officials also warn that rain forecast through Thursday night could lead to more landslides as the continuing quakes have loosened the ground.
Authorities say 49 deaths have been confirmed from the series of quakes. One person remains unaccounted for in Minamiaso village, Kumamoto Prefecture, following massive landslides.

Officials say 16 other deaths were apparently caused by the physical burden of living away from home or the deterioration of pre-existing conditions.
Over 1,100 people were injured. More than 12,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed. Officials say the number is expected to rise.
Around 37,000 people are staying in evacuation shelters in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures.

キーワード
Jolt
seismic activity
earthquake
quake
ともに、「地震」「揺れる」意味です。
以下もよく使われます。
tremors
temblor
rock
shake

landslides triggered by rain
雨が原因による地滑り

call on 人 to be on the alert for ～
～について注意を呼びかける

be confirmed～
～が確認された

deterioration
悪化、劣化

evacuation shelters
避難所