VOA慢速英语2019 波多黎各宣布紧急状态，在地震后激活国民警卫队

Puerto Rico Declares Emergency, Activates¹ National Guard after Earthquakes

The governor of Puerto Rico, Wanda Vazquez, has declared a state of emergency and activated² the National Guard after several earthquakes hit the Caribbean Island. The strongest, measuring a magnitude 6.4, struck Tuesday along the island's southern coast.

波多黎各州长万达·巴斯克斯（Wanda Vazquez）已宣布进入紧急状态，并在加勒比岛发生几次地震后启动了国民警卫队。周二袭击该岛南部海岸的最强烈度为6.4。

The earthquakes knocked out power and killed at least one person, officials and media reported.

官员和媒体报道，地震摧毁了电力并炸死了至少一个人。

The U.S. territory is still recovering from two destructive hurricanes in 2017 that killed 3,000 people and destroyed a lot of infrastructure³ across the island.

美国领土仍在从2017年的两次破坏性飓风中恢复过来，这场飓风造成3,000人死亡，并摧毁了全岛的许多基础设施。

The Puerto Rican government is also dealing⁴ with bankruptcy⁵. It hopes to reorganize about $120 billion of debt.

波多黎各政府也在处理破产问题。它希望重组大约1200亿美元的债务。

Vazquez became governor seven months ago. Large demonstrations⁶ pushed former Governor Ricardo Rossello from office.

巴斯克斯七个月前成为州长。大规模示威游行将前州长里卡多·罗塞洛（Ricardo Rossello）赶下台。

After the quakes, Vazquez asked Puerto Ricans to remain calm.

地震发生后，瓦兹克斯请波多黎各人保持冷静。

She wrote on Twitter, "We want everyone to be safe...be with your family, implementing⁸ your emergency plans."

她在Twitter上写道：“我们希望每个人都可以安全……与您的家人在一起，执行您的紧急计划。”

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The 6.4-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday struck at a depth of about 10 kilometers along the island's southern coast, The U.S. Geological Survey said. The epicenter was near the city of Ponce. A 73-year-old man died there after a wall fell on him, the newspaper El Nuevo Dia reported.

美国地质调查局说，星期二发生的6.4级地震沿该岛南部海岸约有10公里的深度。震中在庞塞市附近。据《新报纸》报道，一名73岁的男子在墙上倒下后死亡。

People on social media described the quake as "super strong" and lasting⁹ up to 30 seconds. It was followed by a number of strong aftershocks, including one with a magnitude of 5.8.

社交媒体上的人们称地震为“超强”，持续时间长达30秒。随后发生了许多强烈余震，其中包括一次5.8级的余震。

The effects along the country's southern coast appeared to be major.

该国南部沿海地区的影响似乎很严重。

In Ponce, Mayor Mayita Meléndez told WAPA television that hundreds of people were sitting in the streets of the city. Many did not want to return home for fear of aftershocks or collapsing¹⁰ buildings.

在庞塞，市长MayitaMeléndez告诉WAPA电视台，数百人正坐在城市的街道上。由于担心余震或建筑物倒塌，许多人不想回家。

A video from WAPA television showed the badly damaged Immaculate Conception church in Guayanilla, about 20 kilometers from Ponce. Only half the church was standing¹¹. At least eight homes collapsed¹² in nearby Yauco, El Nuevo Dia reported.

WAPA电视台的录像带显示，距庞塞（Ponce）约20公里的瓜亚尼拉（Cuayanilla）受损严重的圣母无染原罪教堂。教堂只有一半站着。 El Nuevo Dia报道，附近的Yauco至少有8所房屋倒塌。

Several other earthquakes have struck the island in recent days, including a 5.8-magnitude earthquake Monday. That quake knocked down several houses in Guayanilla and Guanica. It also destroyed the Window of the Caribbean, a rock formation on a beach that was popular among visitors.

最近几天，岛上发生了其他几次地震，包括星期一发生的5.8级地震。地震摧毁了瓜亚尼拉和瓜尼卡的几所房屋。它还摧毁了加勒比之窗，这是海滩上的一块岩石，很受游客欢迎。

Jose Ortiz, the chief of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority reported damage to the Central Costa Sur power plant. The power company checked on other stations across the island, and cut off power across the whole island for safety reasons.

波多黎各电力局局长何塞·奥尔蒂斯（Jose Ortiz）报告称，哥斯达黎加中部发电厂受到了破坏。电力公司检查了整个岛屿上的其他电站，并出于安全原因切断了整个岛屿的电源。

Words in This Story

magnitude – n. : the size, extent, or importance of something

hurricane – n. an extremely large, powerful, and destructive storm

infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly

aftershock – n. a smaller earthquake that occurs after a larger one

implement⁷ – v. to put in place

1 activates   

使活动，起动，触发( activate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Activates the window and displays it in its current size and position. 激活窗口，保持当前的大小及位置不变。
• Pulling out the alarm switch activates alarm and pushing it deactivates it. 闹钟的开和关是通过拔出和按入闹铃开关实现的。

2 activated   

adj. 激活的 动词activate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The canister is filled with activated charcoal.蒸气回收罐中充满了活性炭。

3 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。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。

6 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

7 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

8 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

9 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

10 collapsing   

压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂

参考例句：

• Rescuers used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing. 救援人员用支柱防止隧道顶塌陷。
• The rocks were folded by collapsing into the center of the trough. 岩石由于坍陷进入凹槽的中心而发生褶皱。

11 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。

12 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。