VOA常速英语2008年-Southern Africa Flood Crisis Not Over

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
18 February 2008

The International Federation¹ of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies says the Southern Africa flood crisis is not over. It says more than 334,000 people in eight countries are still affected² by the heavy rains that began in December and have caused rivers to overflow³. Affected countries include Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, and parts of Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana. Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva.

Heavy rains began falling in early December, causing the worst floods seen in Southern Africa for a decade. About 100,000 people in Mozambique, the worst hit country, have been moved to higher ground and are living in difficult conditions.

Spokesman for the International Red Cross Federation, Jean-Luc Martinage, tells VOA many of these people have lost everything - their homes, their cattle, and their livlihoods. He says helping⁴ them is a huge task.

"We believe that the crisis is not over because heavy rains since December are sometimes going on," said Martinage. "Water levels continue to rise above normal levels especially along the Zambezi River. This is of particular concern for Mozambique. So, we can expect further flooding and there is a need to evacuate⁵ more people. Also, what happens is that Mozambique is now threatened by a cyclone⁶, Cyclone Ivan."

Cyclone Ivan hit the northeastern coast of Madagascar Sunday with winds blowing at 200 kilometers per hour. Early reports indicate about 500 people are affected, homes have been lost, trees uprooted⁷ and roads cut off.

Martinage says the number of victims and the extent of the losses is likely to rise. He says Red Cross volunteers in Madagascar are assessing the damage and administering emergency relief to the victims.

He says Cyclone Ivan is strengthening and may be headed toward Mozambique. He notes Mozambique's national meteorological Institute has issued a warning.

"We will closely monitor the situation in the coming hours to see whether Cyclone Ivan is definitely heading to Mozambique," said Martinage. "We know that sometimes it can change. The situation can change. But, we need to take a very close look at the situation in Mozambique within the next 24, 48 hours."

Martinage says the Red Cross has to bring in more supplies - such as tarpaulins⁸, tents, mosquito nets and water purification tablets - for the possibility of another emergency triggered by Cyclone Ivan.

The Red Cross recently launched a revised emergency appeal for more than $10 million for flood victims in Southern Africa.

1 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

2 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。

3 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。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 evacuate   

v.遣送；搬空；抽出；排泄；大(小)便

参考例句：

• We must evacuate those soldiers at once!我们必须立即撤出这些士兵！
• They were planning to evacuate the seventy American officials still in the country.他们正计划转移仍滞留在该国的70名美国官员。

6 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。

7 uprooted   

v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的过去式和过去分词 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园

参考例句：

• Many people were uprooted from their homes by the flood. 水灾令许多人背井离乡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The hurricane blew with such force that trees were uprooted. 飓风强烈地刮着，树都被连根拔起了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 tarpaulins   

n.防水帆布，防水帆布罩( tarpaulin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Main wood to aluminum and plexiglass, PC, tarpaulins, toughened glass. 主材以铝型材与进口有机玻璃、PC、防水布、钢化玻璃。 来自互联网
• That means providing tents or other materials, including plastic sheeting, tarpaulins and wood. 这意味着需要帐篷和其他物资，包括塑料布、放水油布和木材。 来自互联网