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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Geneva
17 February 2008
United Nations aid agencies warn the onset1 of spring in Afghanistan is expected to bring severe flooding in many parts of the country. They say they are gearing up to help tens of thousands of Afghans survive the worst of the spring thaw2. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.
U.N. officials say people in Afghanistan's Western Region are living through one of the harshest winters in nearly 30 years. The United Nations reports more than 800 people have lost their lives so far this winter in the four provinces of Herat, Farah, Badghis, and Ghor.
In addition, 135,000 livestock3 have died from cold and lack of fodder4. The United Nations says tens of thousands of people have lost their homes and possessions due to the heavy snow and severe cold.
UN humanitarian5 spokeswoman Elizabeth Byrs says these people are living in the open in freezing conditions, exposing them to many illnesses.
"We have seen because of this cold, many respiratory problems and hypothermia cases among the population," she said. "Over 170,000 people with pneumonia6 and other acute respiratory infections have been diagnosed and treated at health centers across Afghanistan in the past months. We are concerned about the spread of winter diseases especially in Ghor and in Nooristan provinces."
Byrs says many remote villages are cut off to outside assistance because of the snow. And the authorities are doing their best to clear the roads to make these places accessible.
She says the coming spring will bring no respite7. The melting snows will simply add to the misery8 already endured by the Afghan people.
"We have to get prepared for landslides9, for avalanches10 and also for flooding. That is why the international assistance and international donors11 will be requested for their preparedness measure in order to avoid more disasters in those poor villages which have already suffered from this bad weather," said Byrs.
Byrs says 25 provinces are in danger from spring flooding and preparations are underway to head off the worst. She says more than 840,000 sandbags and thousands of other barriers have been bought to provide protection to vulnerable communities.
She says these protective measures will benefit more than 75,000 people who are particularly exposed.
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1
onset
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n.进攻,袭击,开始,突然开始 | |
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2
thaw
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v.(使)融化,(使)变得友善;n.融化,缓和 | |
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3
livestock
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n.家畜,牲畜 | |
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4
fodder
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n.草料;炮灰 | |
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5
humanitarian
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n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者 | |
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6
pneumonia
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n.肺炎 | |
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7
respite
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n.休息,中止,暂缓 | |
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8
misery
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n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦 | |
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9
landslides
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山崩( landslide的名词复数 ); (山坡、悬崖等的)崩塌; 滑坡; (竞选中)一方选票占压倒性多数 | |
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10
avalanches
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n.雪崩( avalanche的名词复数 ) | |
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11
donors
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n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 );献血者;捐血者;器官捐献者 | |
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