VOA常速英语2008年-UN Appeals for Help for Flood Ravaged Southern

By Delia Robertson
Johannesburg
11 February 2008

The United Nations has launched an appeal to assist Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe in responding to an ongoing¹ humanitarian² crisis caused by heavy seasonal³ rains that came early with little relief in sight. VOA's Delia Robertson reports from our southern Africa bureau in Johannesburg.

The U.N. Office for Humanitarian Affairs says that regional meteorological agencies have warned that the heavy rains in the region are likely to continue until the end of April.

In addition, although the severe cyclone⁴ season usually begins after February 20, already two more than the seasonal average of nine tropical storms or cyclones⁵ have made landfall in Mozambique.

U.N. aid agency regional director Kelly David says funding is being sought to prepare for what is expected to be a humanitarian crisis.

"To not only respond to the current needs, and that is what is unusual about this appeal, but also to be prepared for a further deterioration⁶ of the situation," David said. "So that means putting relief supplies in areas that we know are likely to become flooded and may be cut off from access because of the roads or the bridges being damaged."

The U.N. official notes that disaster preparedness and management has improved in the region, especially in Mozambique, and that consequently it is now possible to pre-position relief supplies for looming⁷ crises.

She adds that the appeal is seeking to address urgent needs and also looks ahead to recovery.

"The greatest needs that the appeal is seeking to address are food and nutrition needs," she said. "Water, sanitation⁸ and health remain a critical concern given the increased disease risk. Already in Malawi we are seeing 700 cholera⁹ cases associated with the floods. There is also a need for shelter for the displaced - at the moment there are more than a 120-thousand people displaced in all four countries but the bulk of those being in Mozambique, and then of course for recovery needs because there has been damage to infrastructure¹⁰ and when all is said and done and the flooding season in over in April there will be a need to rebuild."

With waters rising in the Zambezi river, Zimbabwean authorities are expected to open one floodgate at the Kariba dam, upstream of the Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique. This may mean that water will also have to be released from the Cahora Bassa. There is concern that, if not carefully managed, this may lead to further flooding in the Zambezi flood plain.

Mozambique President Armando Guebuza said last Friday this will only be done if necessary and said that southern African countries are working toward regional management of water resources as well as regionally coordinated¹¹ crisis response.

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 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。

3 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

4 cyclone   

n.旋风，龙卷风

参考例句：

• An exceptionally violent cyclone hit the town last night.昨晚异常猛烈的旋风吹袭了那个小镇。
• The cyclone brought misery to thousands of people.旋风给成千上万的人带来苦难。

5 cyclones   

n.气旋( cyclone的名词复数 )；旋风；飓风；暴风

参考例句：

• The pricipal objective in designing cyclones is to create a vortex. 设计旋风除尘器的主要目的在于造成涡旋运动。 来自辞典例句
• Middle-latitude cyclones originate at the popar front. 中纬度地区的气旋发源于极锋。 来自辞典例句

6 deterioration   

n.退化；恶化；变坏

参考例句：

• Mental and physical deterioration both occur naturally with age. 随着年龄的增长，心智和体力自然衰退。
• The car's bodywork was already showing signs of deterioration. 这辆车的车身已经显示出了劣化迹象。

7 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

8 sanitation   

n.公共卫生，环境卫生，卫生设备

参考例句：

• The location is exceptionally poor,viewed from the sanitation point.从卫生角度来看，这个地段非常糟糕。
• Many illnesses are the result,f inadequate sanitation.许多疾病都来源于不健全的卫生设施。

9 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。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

11 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法