美国有线新闻 CNN 塞拉利昂首都弗里敦附近爆发泥石流

Another type of disaster, but this one natural, took place earlier this week in the West African nation of Sierra Leone. It was a mudslide that struck near Freetown, the nation`s capital. The area has gotten more than twice the amount of rain it normally gets this time of year.

下面来看另一起灾难事件。本周早些时候西非国家塞拉利昂发生一场自然灾害。该国首都弗里敦附近爆发泥石流灾害。该地区遭遇了多于平时两倍多的降雨量。

CNN`s Stephanie Busari witnessed the search for survivors¹.

CNN的Stephanie Busari亲历了搜寻幸存者的过程。

It really is an intense time for this country and people are just mostly standing² around in this area, shell-shocked. They can`t quite get over that this is happening again in a country that has suffered so much tragedy in such a short time, with the war, with Ebola, and now, this. They`re really just asking, why Sierra Leone and why now?

对该国来说，这真的是一个紧张时期，大多数民众都震惊的站在受灾地区。他们似乎不太能接受悲剧再次发生在这个在如此短的时间里饱受如此多苦难的国家——战争、埃博拉疫情，现在又来了泥石流！他们也许真的很想质问，为什么是塞拉利昂，为什么是现在?

Everywhere you go, there are tales of death and devastation³, and hardly, anyone in this country will have -- will not be affected⁴ by this very, very tragic⁵ event.

无论你走到哪里，都上演着死亡和毁灭的故事。在这个国家，几乎所有人都受到了这个非常、非常悲惨事件的影响。

1 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 devastation   

n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤

参考例句：

• The bomb caused widespread devastation. 炸弹造成大面积破坏。
• There was devastation on every side. 到处都是破坏的创伤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。