More than six days after a powerful earthquake struck southwestern China, hopes are dwindling that more trapped people will be found alive. The official death toll so far is more than 32,000, but is expected to surpass 50,000. China has begun three days of national mourning. Chinese leaders have repeatedly said saving human lives is their number one priority.
中国西南部的强烈大地震已经过去六天多了，要想从废墟下面找到更多幸存的人的希望越来越小了。官方公布的死亡人数目前是三万两千多，但是估计会超过五万。中国领导人多次表示，挽救生命是他们的首要任务。
More than 60 earthquake survivors were rescued in the disaster zone Saturday, but by Sunday, the numbers had fallen. Chinese media reported at least one successful rescue Sunday morning - a man recovered from a collapsed hospital in Beichuan.
星期六，60多名地震幸存者在灾区获救，但是星期天，获救的人就没有这么多了。中国媒体报导说，星期天早上成功获救的至少有一个人，他是在北川被压在一个倒塌医院下的一名男子。
Reporter Daniel Schearf said after the earthquake, Beichuan looks like a war zone.
美国之音记者施锐福说，在地震发生后，北川看上去就像一个战区。
"My first image, when I turned the corner into the town, was just a pile of twisted rubble and concrete. It was a hill, it was a mountain, of what used to be buildings, and it just seemed to stretch on forever," he said. "I don't know how to describe it. It just seemed very surreal."
他说：“当我进入北川的时候，看到的第一个景象是一堆扭曲的碎石和水泥。这以前可能是一些大楼，可是现在成了一座山，大山，而且看不到头。我不知道该怎么形容这个景象，它看起来非常可怕。”
One rescue worker in Beichuan, Luo Tanfei, says his team, which includes sniffer dogs, has saved 10 people in different locations since the huge earthquake struck the region Monday.
罗潭飞(音译)是北川的一名救援工作者。他说，自从北川星期一发生大地震以来，他的救援小组已经从不同地方救出了10个人。这个小组的成员还包括一条经训练能闻出味道的警犬。
But he says he does not have too much hope of finding more survivors in that part of the city because they have not found any more traces of life.
他说：“在老城区这边希望不大了。我们的人工搜索和犬搜索一字排开推过去，可是没有发现一点有生命的迹象。”
Chinese disaster relief efforts include nearly 150,000 soldiers, who have been actively supporting emergency work.
参加救灾工作的有近15万名中国部队官兵，他们为紧急救援工作提供积极支持。
People's Liberation Army leaders spoke to reporters in Beijing Sunday, and emphasized that soldiers are facing hardships and working together with ordinary Chinese people.
中国人民解放军领导人星期天在北京对记者发表讲话，并强调说，部队官兵们面临很多困难，而且在和普通老百姓一起努力。
Air Force Major General Ma Jian also made reassurances that all of China's nuclear facilities in the area are safe.
中国空军少将马健还保证说，灾区的所有核设施都是安全的。
"Shortly after the earthquake hit, we have sent teams of the armed police and PLA men to ensure that these facilities are under very strict protection measures and there is no problem involved here," general Ma said.
他说：“在地震灾害发生后，我们派了武警部队和军队对这些设施加以严格保护。没有任何问题。”
The Chinese government has allocated nearly $560 million (four billion RMB) for earthquake relief. Donors, inside and outside of China, have already contributed $860 million in money and goods.
中国政府为抗震救灾已经拨款近40亿元。来自海内外的捐款和捐献的物资也已经达到8亿6千万美元。
China's Ministry of Agriculture says the quake has damaged 33,000 hectares of farmland. At the same time, the tremor has led to the deaths of 12 .5 million heads of livestock and poultry, which health officials say pose a major sanitation risk.
中国农业部说，地震摧毁了3万3千公顷的农田，同时还导致1千2百50万头牲畜和家禽死亡。卫生官员说，这给公共卫生带来极大威胁。 |