澳洲新闻 (ABC新闻快递) 2011-01-12

 Leading the news this morning:Ten people are dead and 78 others are still missing as southeast Queensland faces its worst flood crisis in decades. Fifty thousand homes across the region are now without power. In Brisbane, more than 30,000 people will be affected¹ by the rising water, and 9,000 properties face significant flooding.

 

The situation in Ipswich is also dire². Up to a third of the city could be flooded when the Bremer River reaches a record 22 metres sometime today. Power has been cut to the city. Already around 800 people have fled to evacuation centres.

 

Right across southern Queensland, the water is rising again, putting several towns under threat for the second time in a week. Warwick and St George are on flood alert. Two hundred homes in Dalby are flooded, and water has split the town in half. The flood-weary residents of Condamine are fleeing again. The river there is likely to reach 15 metres.

 

The floods are also getting worse across northern New South Wales. About 4,500 people are cut off by floodwaters. The towns Tabulam, Bonalbo and Darkwood are worst affected. Grafton and Maclean are facing similar fates this morning. 

 

Victoria has also experienced flooding overnight in the Wimmera region in the state's west. Horsham recorded 60 millimetres of rain. Police say there was flash flooding in the area overnight, and the Western Highway between Horsham and Nhill has been closed.

1 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

2 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。