澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2009-10-01

More than a thousand people are now feared dead and thousands more trapped under rubble¹ after another major earthquake hit the Asia-Pacific region. It struck last night near the city of Padang on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and measured 7.6 on the Richter scale. Homes, hotels, schools and other buildings have been destroyed. Half a dozen Indonesian rescue teams are on their way to Sumatra.

Meanwhile, Samoa has been rocked by dozens of aftershocks. After islands in the Pacific were hit by a tsunami² yesterday, at least 140 people were killed when the waves from an undersea earthquake rolled to shore. Four Australians are confirmed dead and another 7 are missing. Rescue workers are still searching for survivors³.

And the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has sent formal condolences to Samoa, Tonga and American Samoa for the loss of life caused by the tsunami. He's urged the international community to support relief and recovery efforts in the areas affected⁴.

"We are with you at a time of great natural disaster and a time of great personal tragedy."

Australia has pledged 2 million dollars of aid and medical workers have been flown to Samoa from Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales today.

Join us for more news later.

1 rubble   

n.（一堆）碎石，瓦砾

参考例句：

• After the earthquake,it took months to clean up the rubble.地震后，花了数月才清理完瓦砾。
• After the war many cities were full of rubble.战后许多城市到处可见颓垣残壁。

2 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

3 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。