2007年VOA标准英语-Relief Efforts Begin in Indonesian Quake Zone

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Jakarta
13 September 2007

Relief efforts are underway on Indonesia's Sumatra Island after the country was hit by four powerful earthquakes and a succession of large aftershocks in less than 24 hours. The tremors¹ toppled buildings, killed several people and injured dozens more. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins in Jakarta has more.

A local girl at her house destroyed by earthquake in Bengkulu, Sumatra island, 13 Sep 2007

Government and international emergency teams headed to Sumatra to survey the earthquake damage and help those in need.

Officials say dozens have been injured, several people killed, and many buildings have been destroyed.

Sutrisno, the head of Indonesia's National Disaster Coordinating² Agency, says representatives of various government ministries³ are already on the scene.

"They will have a meeting with the vice⁴ governor there and they are going to make also a rapid, very rapid assessment⁵ regarding a needs assessment and damage assessment ... But meanwhile, we are also in here still collecting the food for the relief assistance, like food and medicine, and we will send there by special aircraft, by Hercules," said Sutrisno.

Sumatra has been jolted⁶ by four powerful earthquakes since late Wednesday.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the first was centered about 105 kilometers southwest of Bengkulu, a major city on Sumatra's southwestern coast. At a magnitude of 8.4, it was the most powerful earthquake to strike anywhere in the world this year.

Two more quakes followed early Thursday - the first of 7.9 magnitude, and a second several hours later measured 7.1. There have also been more than 20 sizable aftershocks, all situated⁷ along the coastline between Bengkulu and the city of Padang. A fourth serious quake struck late Thursday north of Indonesia's Sulawesi Island, far to the east of Sumatra.

Indonesia issued five separate tsunami⁸ warnings during the period, and two small tsunamis⁹ were reported, but neither caused any serious damage or injury. An Indonesian official said that despite the number and severity of the tremors, injuries have been far fewer than feared.

Country Director Craig Redmond, of Mercy Corps¹⁰, an international relief organization, says aid teams have reported considerable physical destruction.

"Lots of houses destroyed, [there are] needs for shelter, things like that," he said. "Right now they are up there seeing where we can add value and how we can coordinate¹¹ with local officials."

The 9.1 magnitude quake that devastated¹² Indonesia's Aceh province in December 2004 and triggered the Indian Ocean tsunami occurred not far north of the latest tremors off Sumatra's west coast.

The U.S. Geological Service reports that more than 283,000 people in a dozen countries were killed in that disaster. More than half of the victims died in Aceh.

Indonesia's presidential spokesman, Andi Mallerangeng, says these disasters have made the nation stronger.

"We know that we are living in the ring of fire with all different kinds of natural phenomenon... But I think we are a strong nation, every time we are getting stronger. We deal with the situation," he said.

Indonesia lies on the "Pacific Ring of Fire", a geologically active area that is prone¹³ to earthquakes and volcanic¹⁴ eruptions¹⁵.

1 tremors   

震颤( tremor的名词复数 )； 战栗； 震颤声； 大地的轻微震动

参考例句：

• The story was so terrible that It'sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕，它使我不寒而栗。
• The story was so terrible that it sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕，它使我不寒而栗。

2 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

3 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

6 jolted   

（使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
• She was jolted out of her reverie as the door opened. 门一开就把她从幻想中惊醒。

7 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

8 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

9 tsunamis   

n.海啸( tsunami的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Our oceans are alive with earthquakes, volcanoes, and more recently, tsunamis. 海中充满着地震、火山，包括最近发生的海啸。 来自常春藤生活英语杂志-2006年2月号
• Please tell me something more about tsunamis! 请您给我讲讲海啸吧！ 来自辞典例句

10 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

11 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

12 devastated   

v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的

参考例句：

• The bomb devastated much of the old part of the city. 这颗炸弹炸毁了旧城的一大片地方。
• His family is absolutely devastated. 他的一家感到极为震惊。

13 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。

14 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

15 eruptions   

n.喷发，爆发( eruption的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year. 今年火山爆发了好几次。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Over 200 people have been killed by volcanic eruptions. 火山喷发已导致200多人丧生。 来自辞典例句