The U.N. Children's Fund is springing into action with aid as India's Bihar State faces the worst floods in 50 years. UNICEF says severe floods have destroyed almost one-quarter of a million homes affecting at least 1.25 million people in the northern part of Bihar. At least 55 people reportedly have been killed.
联合国儿童基金会迅速行动，及时向遭受50年不遇的洪灾的印度比哈尔邦提供援助。儿童基金会说，灾情严重，比哈尔邦北部将近25万户住宅被摧毁，受影响的人口至少有125万。另据报导，至少55人已经丧生。
Flooding has affected more than 1,000 villages in 13 districts of north Bihar. This has caused large-scale displacement. The Indian government says it expects up to two million people will be impacted by the disaster.
印度比哈尔邦北部13个地区的1000多个村庄受到洪灾影响，造成大量人口无家可归。印度政府估计，受灾人口多达200万。
The flooding started after the Kosi River broke a dam in Nepal and breached mud embankments in Bihar State in India a week ago.
洪水爆发是因为一个星期前尼泊尔境内的戈西河上一座大坝坍塌，导致下游印度境内比哈尔邦的土筑河堤决堤。
The Indian government has set up about 155 relief camps to shelter thousands of homeless people. A spokeswoman for the U.N. Children's Fund, Miranda Eeles, tells VOA the condition of these camps is very bad, and as the number of people there grows, she says the risk of diseases will rise.
印度政府搭建了大约155个临时安置点，为数以千计无家可归的人提供住所。联合国儿童基金会的发言人米兰达.伊尔斯在接受美国之音采访时说，这些临时搭建的设施条件很差。另外，随着避难人数的增加，爆发疾病的风险也会随之上升。
"The weather is extremely hot, which is exacerbating the conditions," said Eeles. "The hygiene conditions are very bad, the hand pumps for clean drinking water are not good enough. Sanitation facilities - people are defecating in open spaces. This is obviously extremely risky in terms of spreading disease. And, we already have heard cases of fever and diarrhea have been reported. So, the immediate priority certainly as far as UNICEF is concerned is to deliver life-saving supplies of medicine, food, clean drinking water and access to proper sanitation." she added.
她说：“天气非常炎热，使临时设施内的条件更加糟糕。卫生条件非常差，手动机井提取干净饮用水的办法也不够好。卫生设备缺乏，人们就在空地上大便。很显然，这样传播疾病的风险非常高。而且，我们已经听说有发烧和腹泻的报告了。因此，就联合国儿童基金会来说，现在最首要的问题就是提供救命的药物、食品和饮用水，并让灾民们使用合适的卫生设备。”
Eeles says children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and the elderly are most vulnerable to the prevailing conditions.
伊尔斯说，儿童、孕妇、哺乳期妇女以及老人是目前条件下最弱势的一群人。
UNICEF has conducted a rapid assessment of the situation in three of the worst affected districts. And, Eeles says, it has already provided essential supplies to some 8,000 families. These include tarpaulin sheets, hygiene kits, water purification tablets and oral rehydration salt packets to treat children with diarrhea.
儿童基金会已经对受灾最严重的三个地区的灾情进行了迅速评估。伊尔斯说，儿童基金会已经向大约8000个家庭提供了基本的生活供应，包括防水布、卫生箱、净化水的药片以及治疗儿童腹泻所需要的袋装防脱水口服盐。
Flooding in southeastern Nepal has caused significant damages and human suffering. Eeles says at least 70,000 people have been displaced.
尼泊尔东南部也遭受洪灾影响，经济受损，民众受难。伊尔斯说，至少有7万人已经无家可归。
"Also, what we have heard is that around 5,000 people from Bihar State have crossed into Nepal to seek relief from the floods. Many of the displaced are sheltering in schools. What we understand is around 30 percent of those are children."
她说：“我们还听说，比哈尔邦大约5000人越境进入尼泊尔寻求救援。许多无家可归的人现在在学校暂时栖身。我们掌握的情况是，其中大约30%是儿童。”
Eeles says UNICEF so far has provided relief items to more than 10,000 people in temporary settlements and is seeking to reach 55,000 affected people in total.
伊尔斯说，联合国儿童基金会到目前为止已经向居住在临时安置点中的1万多人提供了救援物品。目前正在努力让5万5千位灾民获得援助。 |