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（在线收听）

Puerto Rico Declares Emergency, Activates National Guard after Earthquakes

The governor of Puerto Rico, Wanda Vazquez, has declared a state of emergency and activated 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 infrastructure 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 dealing with bankruptcy. 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 demonstrations 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, implementing 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 lasting 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 collapsing 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 standing. At least eight homes collapsed 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

implement – v. to put in place