More Than 60 Dead in Guatemala Following Volcanic Explosion
时间：2019-01-03 作者：英语课 分类：2018年VOA慢速英语(六)月
Rescue workers pulled at least 10 people alive from ash and mud flows around Guatemala’s Volcan de Fuego on Monday.
The country’s national disaster agency reported at least 62 people have died since the volcano exploded Sunday. Officials say the number is expected to rise.
Volcan de Fuego means Volcano of Fire in English. It is one of several active volcanoes in Guatamala. It sits 44 kilometers west of Guatemala City, the country’s capital.
The volcano sits close to Antigua, a former capital during Spanish colonial 1 rule. The United Nations has recognized the town as a UNESCO world heritage 2 site.
Ash fell Sunday on Guatemala City as well as nearby areas. Streets and houses in Antigua were also covered.
The explosion sent a huge cloud of ash several kilometers into the air. Extremely hot flows of ash mixed with water and debris 3, blocking some roads and burning homes.
The land left behind was still too hot to touch or to recover bodies from many places. In some areas, rescue workers’ shoes even melted.
Hilda Lopez said the volcanic 4 mud flowed into her village of San Miguel Los Lotes, close to the mountain. Lopez said she still does not know where her mother or sister are.
“We were at a party, celebrating the birth of a baby, when one of the Lopez remembered. “We didn’t believe it, and when we went out the hot mud was already coming down the street.”
“My mother was stuck there, she couldn’t get out,” said Lopez, crying and holding her face in her hands.
In the village of El Rodeo, people said they did not learn of the danger until it was too late. Some were critical of government officials.
Rafael Letran, who lives in El Rodeo, said the disaster agency “never told us to leave. When the lava 5 was already here they passed by in their pickup 6 trucks telling...us to leave, but the cars did not stop to pick people up.”
The disaster agency said more than 3,200 people had left affected 7 areas.
Volcan de Fuego is one of Central America’s most active volcanoes. The very top of it reaches a height of 3,763 meters above sea level.
The eruption 8 on Sunday was the volcano’s most powerful explosion in more than 40 years.
Words in This Story
mud - n. soft, wet dirt
heritage - n. ?the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation — usually singular
site - n. the place where something (such as a building) is, was, or will be located
debris - n. ?the pieces that are left after something has been destroyed?
lava - n. ?melted rock from a volcano?to send out rocks, ash, lava, etc., in a sudden explosion?
eruption - n. a violent volcanic explosion that sends out rocks, ash, lava, etc.
- The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
- The people of Africa have successfully fought against colonial rule.非洲人民成功地反抗了殖民统治。
- The ancient buildings are part of the national heritage.这些古建筑是民族遗产的一部分。
- We Chinese have a great cultural heritage.我们中国人有伟大的文化遗产。
- After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
- Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。
- There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
- Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。
- The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
- His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。
- I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。
- She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
- His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。