VOA标准英语2013--Emergency Response Grows in Chad

 

Emergency Response Grows in Chad

Emergency water supplies are being rushed to southeastern Chad where about 50-thousand people have fled fighting in Sudan’s Darfur region. Several Arab tribes have been battling for control of mining operations there.

The refugees and migrants have been gathering¹ around the village of Tissi since January. Felix Leger is the country director for the International Rescue Committee.

“The situation is still of concern, mainly from a humanitarian² perspective because, as you know, the influx³ of displaced people continues. The last data we got from Tissi area shows that you have more than 27,000 refugees from Sudan, but you also have some Chadians that returned from Sudan. The number is a bit above 19,000. You also have some refugees from CAR,” HE SAID.

Before the influx, Tissi was a village with a single borehole for water. Leger says it was barely enough for the residents and quickly became inadequate⁴ for the growing population. The International Rescue Committee is now bringing water supplies in by truck from nearby Lake Tissi.

Leger said, “Our intention is to pump the water from the lake – to treat it – and then to deliver through a water system in order to provide clean water to the refugees and the displaced.”

The refugees and migrants are already using the lake for drinking water. The problem is the lake is also being used for bathing and a watering hole for their animals. To make matters worse, the IRC says there are only 10 latrines in the area and people are defecating near the lake. Simply put, it’s not safe to drink without being treated first and there’s the potential for disease.

“Some now are queuing a long time, many hours, in front of the existing network in Tissi. Some have tried to find traditional wells quite far from their place of relocation. So, definitely one of the needs right now is to increase the capacity to provide potable water,” he said.

He said getting water to Tissi is a race against time because the rainy season is expected to begin in two weeks or less. When it does, the roads will become too muddy for the trucks. The IRC is bringing the necessary materials from other parts of Chad so a functioning clean water system can be in place when the rains come.

Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, has set-up medical facilities in Tissi. Last month, it reported an outbreak of measles⁵ in the nearby area of Saraf Bourgou. The disease has killed a number of young children.

The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, is helping⁶ to provide shelter. Trees have provided minimal⁷ shelter for many families, leaving them exposed to the sun, wind and cold temperatures at night.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

3 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

4 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

5 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。