美国有线新闻 CNN 意大利热那亚高架桥大雨中坍塌 逾20人遇难

We're starting in the European nation of Italy where tragedy struck in the northwestern city of Genoa yesterday. It's where a major section of a highway bridge collapsed² at about noon time. And though Italian officials say it's unlikely that anyone who is underneath³ the bridge when that happened, traffic was flowing across it.

今天首条新闻来关注欧洲国家意大利，昨天意大利西北部城市热那亚发生了一起悲剧。中午时分，该市一座公路桥的主路段坍塌。虽然意大利官员表示，事故发生时桥下不太可能有人经过，但事发时桥面有车辆行驶。

Italy's Civil Protection Agency says around 30 vehicles and several heavy duty trucks were in the affected⁴ area. And as of last night, officials had confirmed that at least 26 people have been killed and 16 people were injured. The Morandi Bridge is made out of concrete. It opened in 1968.

意大利民防总局表示，事发时受影响地区有约30辆车和多辆重型卡车。截至昨晚，官方确认这起事故已至少造成26人死亡，另有16人受伤。“莫兰迪桥”由混凝土制成。这座大桥于1968年通车。

It's part of a major highway for residents and tourists. The bridge helps link the Italian Coast with the French cities to the west. One eyewitness⁵ said he thought he saw lightening hit the bridge shortly before it collapsed.

对居民和游客来说，该大桥是一条主要公路的一部分。这座大桥连接意大利沿海地区与法国城市。一名目击者表示，在大桥坍塌前不久，他曾以为他看到闪电击中了该座桥。

Police say violent storms were partly responsible but maintenance on the bridge was also taking place when it gave way. Authorities believe the collapse¹ was due to a structural⁶ failure. Exactly what kind and what factors led to that will be investigated in the days ahead.

警方表示，强风暴是导致大桥坍塌的部分原因，而桥梁坍塌时正在进行维修工作。有关部门认为，这起坍塌事故的原因在于结构损坏。接下来几天，有关部门将就大桥坍塌的确切原因进行调查。

1 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

2 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。

3 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

4 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。

5 eyewitness   

n.目击者，见证人

参考例句：

• The police questioned several eyewitness to the murder.警察询问了谋杀案的几位目击者。
• He was the only eyewitness of the robbery.他是那起抢劫案的唯一目击者。

6 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。