VOA标准英语2010年-Chad Hit by Worst Floods in Four Decad

The U.N. refugee agency reports torrential rains in Chad are affecting about 150,000 people. The UNHCR says more than one-third of the flood-affected victims are refugees, mainly from the Central African Republic.

Heavy rains have been pummeling Chad, a normally dry country, for the past two months. These are the worst rainfalls recorded in Chad for 40 years and the country is reeling from the magnitude of the disaster.

U.N. refugee spokeswoman, Fatoumata LeJeune-Kaba tells VOA nearly half of the 150,000 flood victims have had their houses destroyed and are now homeless.

She says 57,000 refugees from the Central African Republic, who are sheltering in south and southeast Chad, are hard hit and in great need of assistance.

"The rains are particularly disruptive because not only the flooding has swept away fields, crops, but also shelters," LeJeune-Kaba said. "And, as a result it is very difficult...to get access to the people most in need around the country."

LeJeune-Kaba says many bridges and roads leading to refugee camps have been swept away. She says many of the shelters and latrines also have collapsed¹. She says it is likely the school year, which should start October 1, will be delayed until new shelter can be found for homeless people currently living in the schools.

She says aid workers are worried about the health hazards facing the victims.

"People have lost their crops and with the rainy season actually and the epidemic² of cholera³, that could easily spread through the rainy season," LeJeune-Kaba said. "We're very worried. There are so many people that are already distressed⁴. With the rains, with the water stagnating⁵ in areas and people not being able to drink from clean water."

On September 3, the government declared a cholera epidemic in Chad. The disease already has claimed 41 lives and aid agencies are worried cholera could spread further given the bad conditions resulting from the flood.

LeJeune Kaba says malaria⁶ from stagnating pools of water also is a big worry. To counter that and other health risks, she says her agency is instructing people to maintain basic hygiene⁷ and prevent children from playing in stagnant⁸ water.

She says the UNHCR is including mosquito nets to protect people from malaria in the basic relief kits⁹ it is distributing to the refugees and local people in the area.
 

1 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。

2 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

3 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

4 distressed   

痛苦的

参考例句：

• He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。
• The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

5 stagnating   

v.停滞，不流动，不发展( stagnate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I feel I'm stagnating in this job. 我觉得，干这份工作我没有长进。
• ITT was stagnating when Geneen became the chief executive officer in 1959. 1959年吉宁出任行政总负责人时，国际电话电报公司正处于不景气时期。 来自辞典例句

6 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

7 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

8 stagnant   

adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的

参考例句：

• Due to low investment,industrial output has remained stagnant.由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。
• Their national economy is stagnant.他们的国家经济停滞不前。

9 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。