2007年VOA标准英语-Torrential Rains Continue to Devastate Kenya

By Caroline Sawyer
Nairobi
16 August 2007

Flooding in Sudan between June and August this year has killed over 100 people and left thousands homeless. The United Nations released $5 million Wednesday to help Sudanese victims, but as Caroline Sawyer reports from Kenya, torrential rains continue to cause massive destruction throughout the East African region.

 

As the flood waters across Sudan's eastern region begin to subside¹, the World Health Organization is reporting that cholera², an acute intestinal³ infection, has killed 53 people and left 700 more ill. Cholera is caused by ingesting contaminated water or food, and the rains, by causing latrines to overflow⁴ into the water supply, is creating ideal conditions for the disease.

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Residents of Kuvasali village watch from a distance a hillside scarred by a landslide in Kenya, 11 Aug 1007

In Kenya, the heavy rains caused a landslide last week killing⁶ 19 people in the western village of Malava. Rescue operations are continuing there but work is slow because more landslides⁷ are feared.

Rains are expected across East Africa at this time of year, but according to analysts⁸, the rains this year are much heavier than normal.

The assistant director of forecasting at Kenya's Meteorological Department, Peter Ambenje, says the problems cannot be blamed on climate change.

"In the last couple of weeks we have been seeing the kind of weather patterns that normally serve [happen] during this period, that is June, July, August, and this is what we call our cold season, and it is the same period that we get another rainfall peak," said Ambenje.

Environmentalists in the region say they believe that floods are becoming more common and destructive because of deforestation. As East African populations increase, more trees are being cut down to make charcoal⁹, the main fuel used for cooking.

The vice¹⁰ chairman at the Kenya Forest Society, Wambugu Wamahiu, says action has to be taken immediately to protect soil from being washed away during the rainy seasons.

"The way we can prevent this is by planting more trees that will create a cover above the soil and as the [leaves fall they break] down into humus and the humus is the one that improves the quality of the soil in terms of holding moisture," said Wamahiu. "So what happens is that the volume of the water for the entire year is more or less controlled because the moisture is held over a very long time."

Kenyan Nobel Peace Prizewinner Wangari Mathaai has urged African women to plant trees as part of a long-term approach to ending poverty in Africa. She has encouraged the women of Kenya to plant over 30 million trees throughout the country.

Weatherman Peter Ambenje says that in the coming weeks East Africans will not be able to plant trees.

"In the western parts of the [region], in Kenya for example, and even extending into Uganda, the rainfall is anticipated to continue," said Ambenje. "The intensity¹¹ might not be as high as what we have seen in the last few days but we are still in the rainfall season in those areas. "

Analysts predict that more rain will also mean an increase in malaria¹² cases in the region because the disease is spread by mosquitos who breed in stagnant¹³ water.

1 subside   

vi.平静，平息；下沉，塌陷，沉降

参考例句：

• The emotional reaction which results from a serious accident takes time to subside.严重事故所引起的情绪化的反应需要时间来平息。
• The controversies surrounding population growth are unlikely to subside soon.围绕着人口增长问题的争论看来不会很快平息。

2 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

3 intestinal   

adj.肠的；肠壁；肠道细菌

参考例句：

• A few other conditions are in high intestinal obstruction. 其它少数情况是高位肠梗阻。 来自辞典例句
• This complication has occasionally occurred following the use of intestinal antiseptics. 这种并发症偶而发生在使用肠道抗菌剂上。 来自辞典例句

4 overflow   

v.(使)外溢，(使)溢出；溢出，流出，漫出

参考例句：

• The overflow from the bath ran on to the floor.浴缸里的水溢到了地板上。
• After a long period of rain,the river may overflow its banks.长时间的下雨天后，河水可能溢出岸来。

5 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 landslides   

山崩( landslide的名词复数 )； （山坡、悬崖等的）崩塌； 滑坡； （竞选中）一方选票占压倒性多数

参考例句：

• Landslides have cut off many villages in remote areas. 滑坡使边远地区的许多村庄与外界隔绝。
• The storm caused landslides and flooding in Savona. 风暴致使萨沃纳发生塌方和洪灾。

8 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

9 charcoal   

n.炭，木炭，生物炭

参考例句：

• We need to get some more charcoal for the barbecue.我们烧烤需要更多的碳。
• Charcoal is used to filter water.木炭是用来过滤水的。

10 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

11 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。

12 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

13 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。