VOA常速英语2014--West Virginia Chemical Spill Still Affecting Rural Areas 西维吉尼亚州化学泄漏仍影响偏远地区

West Virginia Chemical Spill Still Affecting Rural Areas 西维吉尼亚州化学泄漏仍影响偏远地区

CHARLЕSTON — In the U.S. state of West Virginia, a major chemical spill that contaminated a river supplying water to hundreds of thousands of people is slowly dissipating. Officials say the water restrictions 1 have been lifted in some areas near the state capital of Charleston. But in some rural towns people still cannot drink the local water.

In the town of Marmet, which is just south of Charleston, residents line up in the their cars for free bottled water.

在查尔斯顿以南的马麦特镇,居民排起了汽车长龙等待索取免费的瓶装水。

Schools and most restaurants and businesses remain closed.

目前学校，大多数餐馆和企业仍然关闭。

Marmet's Fire Chief Jerry McGhee says responding to the water emergency has brought out the best in the community.

马麦特镇消防队长杰瑞·麦吉表示紧急水源应对是这个社区最好的措施。

“The fire department and a ton of volunteers, which we really appreciate coming out.

“我们真的很感激消防部门和这么多的志愿者。

The police department, local police department has been here.

还有警察部门,当地警察也已经在这里。

We had city council personnel with us and just a lot of in-town folks who have chipped in to assist us,” says McGhee.

而且市议会人员和很多市区人民也加入协助我们,”麦吉说道。

西维吉尼亚州化学泄漏仍影响偏远地区.jpgThis crisis began when a chemical known as MCHM, used to clean impurities 2 from coal, leaked from a storage tank owned by a company called Freedom Industries.

这场危机的源头是一种被称为MCHM的化学物质,这种用于清洁煤炭杂质的物质从一家名为自由工业公司的储罐中泄漏引发了这次危机。

The chemical got into the Elk 3 River, which supplies drinking water to the region.

这种化学物质进入了供应该地区饮用水的麋鹿河。

Residents say the contaminated water smells like licorice.

居民称被污染的水闻起来像甘草。

Officials warned people not to drink it, or even wash with it.

官员们警告人们不要饮用或用于清洗。

Dustin White with the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition 4 and other environmental activists 5 are critical of what they say is the lack of regulation of the powerful chemical and coal industries in West Virginia.

俄亥俄河谷环境联盟的达斯汀·怀特和其他环保人士批评他们所说对于西弗吉尼亚州化工和煤炭工业的监管力度的缺乏。

But for now they are focusing on the crisis at hand, bringing water to rural areas.

但是现在他们则专注于手头上的危机,那就是将水源带到偏远地区。

“For me and a lot of us, this is where we call home.

“对我和很多人而言,这里是我们的家园。

So any time that our people need any type of help, we try to respond in any way we can to help the people who need it,” says White.

任何时候,只要我们的人民需要任何帮助,我们会竭尽所能帮助需要的人,”怀特说道。

Tommy Manns and many local residents say with some help they can survive this crisis.

汤米·曼恩斯和许多当地居民称一些帮助能够使他们渡过这次危机。

“It's not as bad as what people make it seem, but you know we get by. All the water everybody gives out helps a lot,” says Manns.

“人们看起来并不糟糕,但是你知道我们会平安度过。大家都给的水很有帮助,” 曼恩斯说道。

Officials say it could be several days before the water-use ban is lifted entirely 6.

官员表示禁水令完全解除可能仍需时日。