Learning English from the News

Upper intermediate level

Earthquakes hit Afghanistan

Episode 250903 / 03 Sep 2025

(Photo by Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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The story

A major aftershock has hit eastern Afghanistan, just days after an earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale hit the region.

More than 1,400 people have been killed and 3,000 more injured, according to the Taliban government.

The region is difficult to access because it is mountainous, and rescuers have been searching for people trapped under mud and stone homes in the area. Entire villages have been destroyed.

News headlines

Second Afghan quake brings more trauma to the shattered region
SBS Australia

Aid effort underway after Afghanistan quake ‘wipes out’ villages
UN News

Earthquake adds to 'perfect storm' of problems hitting Afghanistan, says UN
Sky News

Key words and phrases

shattered
badly damaged

  • The country was shattered after 10 years of civil war.

underway
describes something that has started

  • Changes to the school's management are underway. New staff are being recruited now.

a perfect storm
a situation, usually negative, that happens because of a combination of circumstances

  • The minister for agriculture said high food prices are being caused by a perfect storm of population growth and bad weather.

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ሐድሽ ፓድካስትታት ተመልከት Learning English from the News