2007年VOA标准英语-At Least 450 Dead in Peru Earthquake

By Brian Wagner
Miami
16 August 2007

Rescue workers in Peru are searching for survivors¹ in the rubble² of an earthquake that killed at least 450 people. In Miami, VOA's Brian Wagner reports the quake toppled buildings and homes south of the capital.

Injured Peruvians receive medical attention at hospital following earthquake, 16 Aug 2007

Victims of the 8.0 magnitude quake flooded into partly damaged hospitals and gathered in the streets in the towns of Peru's central coast. Medical workers said they were struggling to treat people with broken bones and bruises³ caused by falling objects from the Wednesday evening quake.

The quake was centered some 145 kilometers south of the capital, Lima, where several towns reported massive damage. Peruvian officials said several people were killed in the town of Pisco when a church roof collapsed⁴ during a religious service. Rescue workers said they feared survivors could be trapped in the rubble of the church or other buildings.

Peru's president, Alan Garcia, declared a state of emergency for affected⁵ areas in central Peru and he also warned of more aftershocks.

Mototaxi drives past a car covered with rubble in area hit by earthquake late Wednesday in Ica, some 275 km. southeast of Lima, 16 Aug 2007

Garcia said that energy is retained in the tectonic plates of the earth after the initial quake and may cause low intensity⁶ aftershocks that will not be as strong as the quake late Wednesday.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that central Peru has been hit by more than a dozen aftershocks of magnitude 4.5 or higher since the initial quake.

Some residents in the affected areas complained that relief aid was slow to come, including one woman in the town of Chincha.

She said all the houses fell down, and people have nowhere to sleep. She said no one came to help or even ask if residents were okay.

Man examines collapsed wall of building following earthquake in Lima, 16 Aug 2007

In Washington, a White House spokesman said President Bush sent his condolences to the people of Peru, and said the United States was prepared to send relief assistance if needed.

A U.S. military spokesman said the hospital ship Comfort visited Peru a few days earlier during a humanitarian⁷ tour of Latin America. He said the ship could leave Ecuador where it is now docked and return to Peru, if Peruvian officials request U.S. assistance.

1 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

2 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。

3 bruises   

n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was covered with bruises after falling off his bicycle. 他从自行车上摔了下来，摔得浑身伤痕。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The pear had bruises of dark spots. 这个梨子有碰伤的黑斑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

5 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。

6 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

7 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。