更多國際時事文章就在通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday
國際時事跟讀 Ep.K867: Hurricane Helene: A Devastating Force Across the Southeastern US
Highlights 主題摘要：
- Hurricane Helene devastated the southeastern US, particularly North Carolina, causing over 200 deaths and widespread destruction. It's the deadliest mainland US hurricane since Katrina in 2005.
- The storm's impact was catastrophic, leaving hundreds missing and nearly 780,000 homes without power. Massive flooding and landslides have complicated rescue and aid distribution efforts.
- Despite ongoing recovery efforts, including federal assistance and National Guard deployment, the region remains on high alert as the Atlantic hurricane season continues with more storms brewing.
Hurricane Helene, the strongest storm ever to hit Florida's Big Bend region, has left a trail of destruction across the southeastern United States. The hurricane, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm, has claimed over 200 lives, making it the deadliest mainland US hurricane since Katrina in 2005.
颶風海倫（Hurricane Helene），這場有史以來襲擊佛羅里達州大彎地區（Florida's Big Bend）最強烈的風暴，在美國東南部留下了一條破壞的軌跡。這場以四級颶風登陸的風暴已奪走超過 200 條生命，成為自 2005 年卡崔娜（Katrina）颶風以來美國大陸最致命的颶風。
The impact of Helene has been catastrophic, with North Carolina bearing the brunt of the damage. More than half of the reported deaths occurred in this state, where entire communities were uprooted by the storm's fury. The mountainous area around Asheville was particularly hard-hit, with residents describing scenes of "complete pandemonium." Massive flooding, landslides, and widespread power outages have left tens of thousands without basic necessities like electricity and running water. As one Asheville native, Samuel Hayes, put it, "It's going to take us a long time to clean this up."
海倫颶風的影響是災難性的，北卡羅萊納州首當其衝。超過一半的死亡案例發生在這個州，整個社區被風暴的怒火連根拔起。阿什維爾周圍的山區受創尤其嚴重，居民形容場景如同「完全混亂」。大規模的洪水、山崩和廣泛的停電使得數萬人失去電力和自來水等基本必需品。正如阿什維爾的原住民山繆・海耶斯所說：「需要很長的時間才能清理乾淨。」
The storm's effects were felt across multiple states, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia. In Florida's Keaton Beach, residents returned to find their homes completely destroyed. Eric Church, a local resident, stood in disbelief before the wreckage of his house, saying, "Man, I just lost my house. I have nowhere else to go." The devastation in some areas was so severe that officials have deemed it unsafe for residents to return, as is the case in Cedar Key, Florida.
風暴的影響遍及多個州，包括佛羅里達州、喬治亞州、南卡羅萊納州和維吉尼亞州。在佛羅里達州的基頓海灘，居民返回時發現他們的家園完全被摧毀。當地居民艾瑞克・丘奇站在他房子的廢墟前，難以置信地說：「天啊，我剛失去了我的房子。我無處可去。」某些地區的破壞如此嚴重，以至於官員認為居民返回是不安全的，佛羅里達州的錫達礁就是這種情況。
Rescue and recovery efforts are in full swing, with over 6,700 National Guard members deployed across 16 states. The federal government has also sent 1,000 active-duty soldiers to assist. However, the task is enormous. Hundreds of people are still missing, and nearly 780,000 homes remain without power almost a week after the hurricane made landfall. The flooding has made many roads impassable, complicating aid distribution to hard-hit areas. In response, private citizens have stepped in to help, using everything from mules to helicopters to deliver supplies to remote communities.
救援和恢復工作正全力進行，超過 6,700 名國民警衛隊成員已部署到 16 個州。聯邦政府也派遣了 1,000 名現役士兵協助。然而，任務是艱鉅的。數百人仍下落不明，颶風登陸近一週後，將近 78 萬戶家庭仍然斷電。洪水使許多道路無法通行，使得援助物資難以運送到受災嚴重的地區。為此，私人公民也挺身而出，利用從騾子到直升機等各種方式，將物資送到偏遠社區。
As affected areas begin the long process of rebuilding, President Joe Biden has toured the devastated regions, promising federal support. "I see you, I hear you, I grieve with you, and I promise you we have your back," Biden told residents in Ray City, Georgia. The president has approved federal disaster assistance for survivors in the affected states. However, with the Atlantic hurricane season continuing until the end of November and two more storms brewing, the region remains on high alert, bracing for potential further challenges in the coming months.
當受災地區開始漫長的重建過程時，美國總統喬・拜登也視察了災區，承諾聯邦政府的支持。拜登告訴喬治亞州雷城的居民：「我看到你們，我聽到你們，我與你們同悲，我承諾我們會支持你們。」總統已批准為受災州的倖存者提供聯邦災難援助。然而，由於大西洋颶風季節將持續到 11 月底，且還有兩場風暴正在醞釀，該地區仍然保持高度警惕，為未來幾個月可能面臨的進一步挑戰做好準備。
Keyword Drills 關鍵字：
- Deadliest (Dead-li-est): The hurricane, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm, has claimed over 200 lives, making it the deadliest mainland US hurricane since Katrina in 2005.
- Catastrophic (Cat-a-stroph-ic): The impact of Helene has been catastrophic, with North Carolina bearing the brunt of the damage.
- Pandemonium (Pan-de-mo-ni-um): The mountainous area around Asheville was particularly hard-hit, with residents describing scenes of "complete pandemonium."
- Landslide (Land-slide): Massive flooding, landslides, and widespread power outages have left tens of thousands without basic necessities like electricity and running water.
- Enormous (E-nor-mous): However, the task is enormous. Hundreds of people are still missing, and nearly 780,000 homes remain without power almost a week after the hurricane made landfall.
Reference article:
1. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/28/weather/hurricane-helene-florida-georgia-carolinas/index.html
2. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1k70rnrp4xo