United Nations aid agencies report they are making progress in getting crucial relief to hundreds of thousands of survivors of Haiti's devastating earthquake. The agencies say they are increasing efforts to try to reach people in areas outside the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Since the earthquake struck a week ago, aid efforts have been primarily centered on the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. Damaged roads and bridges, and debris from collapsed buildings have made it impossible to reach some outlying areas.
自从海地一个星期前发生地震以来，救援工作一直主要集中在首都太子港。遭到破坏的道路和桥梁，以及倒塌建筑的废墟使得援助工作无法延伸到周边地区。
But, Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance spokeswoman Elizabeth Byrs says aid workers are increasing their efforts to reach areas outside Port-au-Prince.
但是，联合国人道主义事务协调办公室的女发言人比尔斯表示，救援人员正在加紧努力，设法来到太子港周围地区。
She says reports of the level of destruction in some of these areas are staggering. Some towns have been practically destroyed.
她表示，报告显示那里的一些地区遭到的破坏程度惊人。一些城镇几乎被彻底毁掉。
She says people there are in desperate need of food, water and medical care.
她说，人们迫切需要食物、水和医疗照顾。
Byrs says engineers are needed to repair roads and bridges and to remove heavy debris blocking aid routes.
比尔斯表示，目前需要工程师来修建受到破坏的道路和桥梁，并清除那些阻断救援工作路途的沉重的瓦砾堆。
Heavily populated Port-au-Prince suffered enormous damage and aid agencies have been struggling for the past week to reach the victims.
受到严重污染的太子港遭受巨大破坏，救援机构过去一个星期来一直在奋力设法解救生还者。
But World Food Program spokeswoman Emilia Casella says progress is being made. She says more than 270,000 people have received food assistance.
但是世界粮食计划署发言人卡塞拉说，目前援助工作有进展。她表示，已经有超过27万人得到食品救济。
She says the World Food Program often is frustrated in its efforts to provide assistance because of the conditions. For instance, she says it aimed to reach 100,000 people with food aid Monday, but was only able to reach 60,000.
她说，灾区的情况使得粮食计划署提供援助的努力常常受挫。她举例说，该机构准备在星期一给10万人送去救援食品，但是只能送抵6万人手中。
"We were unable to get to the full amount we hoped to yesterday due to a number of issues including aftershocks, which further damaged our warehouse and it made it very difficult to load some of the food that was in the warehouse locations," she explained. "So, that did reduce the amount that we were able to get out. But, nevertheless, progress is really very much being made," she said.
卡塞拉说，“由于包括余震在内的一系列原因，我们昨天无法送出计划中的全部救援食品。余震又进一步给我们的仓库造成破坏，使得我们很难把仓库里的一些食品装车。所以，这减少了我们能够分发的食品量。但是无论如何，援助工作还是有很大的进展。”
In the coming week, Casella says the World Food Program hopes to distribute 10 million ready-to-eat rations. In addition, she says more than four million special high-nutritional food rations will be distributed to children.
在接下来的这个星期，卡塞拉表示，世界粮食计划署希望分发1000万份即食食品。除此之外，她表示，超过400万份特殊高营养食品将被分发给儿童。
She says the World Food Program has identified more than 280 sites in and around Port-au-Prince where people gather to find food. She says her agency will use mobile units to bring aid to them.
她说，粮食计划署已经找到了超过280处人们聚集以找寻食物的场所。计划署将通过远程分支机构为他们送去援助。
Furthermore, she says four fixed distribution sites are being set up where people can go to get food.
她还补充说，世界粮食计划署已经设立了四个定点场所，以供人们领取食物。 |