2007年VOA标准英语-Tides Leave Hundreds Homeless on Liberia Coast

By Kari Barber
Dakar, Monrovia
18 August 2007

Many families living along Liberia's coast are moving to safer areas after flooding and high tides destroyed scores of homes and structures by the sea.  Some say mining beach sand, which is used for building, may be causing coastal¹ changes, which led to this disaster.  Kari Barber has more from VOA's West Africa bureau in Dakar with additional reporting by Prince Collins in Monrovia.

In the Sinkor district of Monrovia, one of the areas hit hard by the flooding, retired² government employee Lewis Toe says he wants to take his wife and eight children and move further from the sea.

Lewis Toe and his family plan to move away from the sea

"The water is still coming and so many houses the sea has been carrying away, more than eleven houses," he said.  "Outside you can look at the beach, the sea is coming."

Liberia is under reconstruction³ following the civil war that ended in 2003.  Many people make money by collecting sand from the beaches and selling it to building companies.  Toe says he has seen this in his neighborhood and believes it is causing the flooding.

"I am afraid of the sea, why? Because [the beach] is overmined," he said.

The United Nations Development Program's recent report on Liberia's environment called sand mining one of the most serious threats to the nation's coastline and marine⁴ environment.  The government is looking at way to regulate the practice.

Some do not believe that sand mining alone can be blamed for the destruction.

A building destroyed by high tides

Sysvelster Mulbah says many homes in his area have been destroyed, but he thinks the cause may be a changing sea.

"When it first started we said people are out of money you know taking sand, but we are beginning to realize that it is not only money or sand," he said.  "It is beyond our belief to see such a thing happening.  The power of the sea is marvelous."

Mulbah says he has tried putting up sand bags to prevent the encroaching sea from taking his home, but all of his efforts have been futile⁵.  He also plans to move away from the ocean.

Liberians try to defend their homes from the rising tide with sandbags

John Tamba says the erosion and flooding, which began in late July, is getting worse.  When the sea engulfed⁶ his home, he built a makeshift place to sleep where his former house stood.

"And the sea is still continuing," he said.  "Even the little place I just built temporarily to be in, the sea is destroying that place also."

Rescue workers are encouraging families to relocate away from the sea, and although some are moving, many are fishermen and say they cannot afford to move away from their source of livelihood⁷.

1 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 reconstruction   

n.重建，再现，复原

参考例句：

• The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
• In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

4 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

5 futile   

adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的

参考例句：

• They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。
• Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。

6 engulfed   

v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters. 他被一群记者团团围住。
• The little boat was engulfed by the waves. 小船被波浪吞没了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。