每日英語跟讀 Ep.K629: Tragic Wildfires Ravage Maui, Leaving Destruction and Questions
In a devastating turn of events, the Hawaiian island of Maui has been struck by deadly wildfires, claiming the lives of at least 55 people and obliterating a historic town. The tragedy has raised concerns over the efficiency of the state's warning systems, as many residents received inadequate alerts, leaving them little time to react to the raging fires.
夏威夷毛伊島遭受了一場毀滅性野火襲擊，造成至少55人喪生，並摧毀了一座歷史悠久的小鎮。這場悲劇引發了人們對該州警戒系統效率的擔憂，因為許多居民收到的警報不足，使他們在面對熊熊大火時沒有足夠的時間做出反應。
Hawaii's emergency management system, which boasts a network of around 400 sirens, was unable to prevent the catastrophe. The records show that warning sirens remained silent, and instead, alerts were dispatched to mobile devices, televisions, and radio stations. However, these alerts were hampered by widespread power and cellular outages, limiting their reach and effectiveness.
夏威夷的緊急管理系統擁有約400個警報器，然而這場災難並未被阻止。記錄顯示，警報器保持沉默，取而代之的是將警報發送到移動設備、電視和廣播電台。然而，這些警報受到大規模停電和手機信號中斷的影響，限制了它們的傳播範圍和效果。
Survivors recount their experiences, revealing a lack of prior warning, with many realizing the danger only when flames engulfed their surroundings or explosions echoed nearby. This tragedy marks Hawaii's deadliest natural disaster since a devastating tsunami struck the region in 1960, leaving Governor Josh Green to fear that the death toll could rise further as search and rescue operations continue.
倖存者們回憶了他們的經歷，揭示了缺乏事前警告，許多人只有在火焰吞噬周圍或附近傳來爆炸聲時才意識到危險。這場悲劇是夏威夷自1960年一場毀滅性的海嘯襲擊該地區以來最致命的自然災害，州長喬許·格林擔心隨著搜救行動的繼續，死亡人數可能會進一步上升。
The situation is exemplified by the story of Thomas Leonard, a 70-year-old retired mailman from the historic town of Lahaina. The absence of real-time information due to power and cell phone outages left him unaware of the fire until he smelled the smoke. As he attempted to escape, he had to abandon his vehicle and flee on foot amidst exploding cars. Hours of harrowing sheltering behind a seawall followed, with ash and cinders swirling around him. Eventually, firefighters arrived to lead him and other survivors to safety.
這種情況以湯馬士·萊昂納德的故事為例，他是來自歷史悠久的拉海納小鎮的70歲退休郵差。由於斷電和手機信號中斷，無法獲得實時信息，他直到聞到煙味才察覺到火災。在試圖逃脫時，他不得不放棄車輛，徒步逃離，周圍的汽車不斷爆炸。他躲在海堤後面度過了數小時，被熱風中的灰燼和火山灰環繞。最終，消防員趕到，將他和其他倖存者帶到安全地帶。
The fires were fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a passing hurricane, resulting in multiple wildfires igniting across Maui. One of the most severe blazes transformed Lahaina into a scene of devastation, reducing it to rubble and ashes. The aftermath saw charred remains of buildings and torched palm trees, leaving an eerie landscape between the ocean and lush greenery.
乾燥的夏季加上過境的颶風強風助長了火勢，導致毛伊島各地燃起野火。其中最嚴重的一場大火將拉海納燒成了一片廢墟，只剩下瓦礫和灰燼。事後，建築物的殘骸燒焦，棕櫚樹被燒毀，在海洋和郁郁蔥蔥的綠地之間的留下了一片陰森恐怖的景象。
Despite boasting an extensive emergency warning infrastructure, the quick and unpredictable nature of the fires overwhelmed the response efforts. Maui County's hazard mitigation plan, recognizing the area's wildfire risk, cited the high number of households without vehicles and non-English speakers, which hindered timely alerts and swift actions during crises.
儘管擁有龐大的緊急警報基礎設施，野火的迅速和不可預測性仍然使救災工作不堪重負。毛伊縣的災害緩解計劃清楚的理解該地區的火災風險，指出了沒有交通工具的家庭和非英語使用者的數量較多，這點妨礙了在危機時期的及時警報和迅速行動。
Compounding the issue, the Maui Fire Department's limited staff and resources presented challenges in controlling the fires. With just 65 firefighters managing three islands and without off-road vehicles, containing the fires before they reached populated areas proved difficult. Hurricane Dora's fierce winds further complicated firefighting efforts, resembling a battle against a relentless blowtorch.
除此之外，毛伊島消防局有限的人力和資源也在火災控制方面受到挑戰。僅有65名消防員管理三個島嶼，並且沒有越野車，因此很難在火災蔓延到人口密集區之前將其控制住。颶風多拉帶來的狂風使滅火工作變得更加複雜，彷彿與無情的火焰噴射器在進行一場作戰。
In response to this tragedy, President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Maui, promising swift assistance to those affected. As the island grapples with the aftermath of these wildfires, questions arise about the adequacy of warning systems, the importance of community preparedness, and the need for bolstered firefighting resources to prevent such devastating incidents in the future.
面對這場悲劇，喬·拜登總統宣布毛伊島發生重大災難，承諾向受災民眾提供迅速的援助。毛伊島在處理野火後的餘波時，人們開始質疑警戒系統是否充分，社區準備的重要性以及增強滅火資源的需求，以防止未來發生類似的災難性事件。
Reference article: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/10/fires-burn-through-hawaii-at-least-36-people-have-died-on-maui.html