天地不仁，以萬物為芻狗。日本上周五 (March 11, 2011) 東北大地震引發驚人海嘯，災情持續擴大，最終不知要帶走多少寶貴生命。日本當局重視歷史教訓，從 1923 年「關東大地震」起便持續立法去完善建築物的抗震能力，否則這次日本有史以來最強地震真不知會造成多嚴重的傷亡。對於命喪於這次天災的日本居民，版主替感到萬分哀痛，願他們的靈魂得以安息。

下面是 CNN 的報導 (March 11, 2011)：

Widespread destruction from Japan earthquake, tsunamis

The morning after Japan was struck by the most powerful earthquake to hit the island nation in recorded history (日本有史以來最強的地震) and the tsunami (海嘯) it unleashed — and even as the earth continued to twitch (猛扯) with aftershocks (餘震) — the disaster’s massive impact was only beginning to be revealed.

Rescue efforts (救援行動) began with the first light (第一道曙光出現) as military helicopters plucked survivors (撘救生存者) from roofs and carried them to safety (帶到安全處所).

The 8.9-magnitude temblor (= earthquake / 8.9 級地震 ), which was centered near the east coast of Japan, killed hundreds of people, caused the formation of 30-foot walls of water that swept across rice fields, engulfed entire towns (吞沒城鎮), dragged houses onto highways, and tossed cars and boats like toys (把汽車與船隻像玩具一樣翻弄). Some waves reached six miles (10 kilometers) inland in Miyagi Prefecture (宮城縣) on Japan’s east coast.

“The earth shook with such ferocity (= violence 猛烈),” said Andy Clark, who said he had gotten used to earthquakes during his 20 years in Japan but never experienced what he felt Friday at the airport outside Tokyo. “I thought things were coming to an end … it was simply terrifying (令人害怕).”

Buildings shook, heaved (拋起) and collapsed (倒塌) by the score, and numerous fires ignited (發生無數火災).

Hundreds more people were missing (= unaccounted for 失蹤), Japanese media reported, citing local and national police. Tens of thousands of people were displaced (被迫離開家園), according to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency (日本共同新聞社).

Prime Minister Naoto Kan (日本首相菅直人) said the “enormously powerful” earthquake had caused “tremendous damage over a wide area.”

The quake, which struck at 2:46 p.m. (12:46 a.m. ET), prompted the U.S. National Weather Service (美國國家氣象局) to issue tsunami warnings (發佈海嘯警報) for at least 50 countries and territories.

The epicenter (震央) of Friday’s main quake was located off Miyagi Prefecture (宮城縣) , about 230 miles (370 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, the U.S. Geological Survey (美國地質調查局) said.

Also in Miyagi (宮城縣), officials reported that a train had derailed (火車出軌) and authorities had lost contact with four trains (與四輛火車失聯) in coastal areas, Kyodo reported, citing the East Japan Railway Company (東日本鐵路公司 / 東日本旅客鉄道株式会社).

Six million households, more than 10% of the total in Japan, were without electricity (停電), said Japan’s ambassador to the United States, Ichiro Fujisaki (日本駐美大使藤崎一郎).

In Tokyo, rail service was suspended overnight (鐵路運輸當晚停止), elevated highways were shut (封閉高架道路) early Saturday and surface streets remained jammed (塞車) as commuters (通勤人士) — thousands of whom had spent the night in shelters (收容所) — tried to get to their homes in outlying areas (外圍區域).

Video aired by Japanese broadcaster NHK (日本 NHK 電視台) showed extensive fires in Miyagi and in the port city of Hakodate (函館), in the southern part of Hokkaido island (北海道) in northern Japan. An oil refinery (煉油廠) was burning in Chiba Prefecture (千葉縣) near Tokyo (東京), according to NHK. And Kyodo News (共同社) said fires could be seen in extensive areas of Kesennuma in Miyagi (宮城縣氣仙沼市).

Aerial views (鳥瞰圖) of Kesennuma (氣仙沼市) showed plumes of white smoke (白色煙柱) emanating from the center of the city and large, black areas the flames had already traversed (火勢燒過的大片焦黑區域).

In the city of Minamisoma (南相馬市) in Fukushima Prefecture (福島縣), all that was left of many structures were their foundations (建物只剩下地基). Only concrete and steel buildings appeared to have withstood the wash (只有鋼筋混凝土建築抵擋了海嘯的衝擊). No people were visible in the streets of the town, whose population on Friday had been 70,000.

And a dam in Fukushima Prefecture failed (福島縣的一座水壩潰堤), washing away homes, Kyodo reported. There was no immediate word of casualties (沒有立即的傷亡報告), but the Defense Ministry (日本防衛省) said 1,800 homes were destroyed.

The National Weather Service (美國國家氣象局) sent a warning to 50 countries and territories it said could be affected by the tsunami (海嘯).

Scores of aftershocks (許多餘震) jarred (猛然震動) the country Saturday, punctuated by a pair of strong earthquakes in the early morning, including one with a magnitude of 7.1 and another with a magnitude of 6.8. (清晨時有兩起強震，一起為 7.1 級，另ㄧ起為 6.8 級)

A leak occurred in an atomic power plant (核能發電廠) in northeast Japan, a spokesman for Japan’s nuclear agency (日本原子能安全保安院) said Saturday. Cooling equipment stopped working (冷卻設施故障) when generators (發電機) failed in the quake, and the temperature inside the plant in the Fukushima prefecture (福島縣) had risen; officials lowered the pressure inside the plant hangar (核電廠房) by venting it (釋放壓力), said spokesman Kazuo Kodama.

But high levels of radiation (高量的輻射)led officials to suspend the release, NHK said. Alternative plans were being evaluated (正在評估替代方案), the broadcaster said.

Citing Japan’s nuclear safety agency (日本原子能安全保安院), Kyodo said radiation levels were 1,000 times above normal (輻射量比平常高出一千倍) in the the control room of the facility’s reactor (核反應堆；反應器).

An evacuation order (疏散命令) was extended to people who live within 10 kilometers (6 miles) of the plant, named Fukushima Daiichi (福島第一核電站), about 160 miles (260 kilometers) north of Tokyo.

The agency said the radiation amount posed no immediate threat to the health of nearby residents (輻射量沒有立即威脅附近民眾的健康), Kyodo reported.

Cooling problems also appeared to have affected to another of the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s (東京電力公司) nuclear facilities.

Kyodo reported the power company alerted authorities that the cooling system at three units of another plant in the same prefecture. That prompted Japanese authorities to add that plant to its emergency list (應變部署表 / 緊急應變清單), along with the another plant, Kyodo said.

Prime Minister Kan (日本首相菅直人) inspected the plant and the rest of the affected region from a helicopter.

The government ordered the evacuation of residents nearest the plant as efforts to keep it cool after it was shut were initially hampered.

The confirmed death toll (確知的死亡人數) stood at 398 in nine prefectures, Kyodo said, citing police. It reported that 805 people were unaccounted for (下落不明).

Kyodo predicted the death toll would surpass 1,000.dispatched

The news agency, citing Japan’s defense forces (日本自衛隊), also said 60,000 to 70,000 people were being evacuated to shelters in the Sendai (仙台) area of Miyagi Prefecture.

The prime minister said an emergency task force (緊急應變部隊) had been activated, and he appealed for calm (呼籲大家冷靜). The government  (派遣) 8,000 troops to assist in the recovery effort and asked for U.S. military assistance, according to Kyodo.

A spokesman for the U.S. military bases in Japan said all service members (服役的士官兵) were accounted for and there were no reports of damage to installations or ships (設施與船艦都沒有受損).

By early Saturday, more than 50 countries had offered help, said Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (日本外務省). U.S. President Barack Obama (美國總統歐巴馬) offered his condolences (弔唁;慰問) and said the United States was standing by to help “in this time of great trial.”(在此嚴峻的時刻)

The U.S. Navy initiated reconnaissance flights (發起偵察飛行) to map the disaster zone (繪製受災區) and was moving the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (核子動力航空母艦雷根號) into position to assist the Japanese government (日本政府) with relief efforts, defense officials said.

Images from Japanese media and CNN iReporters showed smoke pouring from buildings and water rushing across fields, carrying away entire structures.

“I wasn’t scared when it started … but it just kept going and going,” said Michelle Roberts, who lives in central Tokyo. “I won’t lie, it was quite scary. But we are all OK. We live on the third floor, so most everything shook and shifted.”

The quake toppled (推翻) cars off bridges and into waters underneath. Waves of debris (殘骸) flowed like lava (熔岩) across farmland, pushing boats, houses and trailers (拖車) in their paths.

The quake also disrupted rail service (中斷鐵路運輸) and affected air travel (影響飛航). Hundreds of flights were canceled (取消航班), Kyodo said. Some 13,000 people were stranded (滯留) at the Narita airport (成田機場), and 10,000 were stuck (滯留) at the Haneda airport (羽田機場), the news agency said. Flights into and out of both airports had resumed (航班恢復) Saturday.

At Tokyo Station (東京車站), one of Japan’s busiest subway terminals, shaken commuters grabbed one another to stay steady (通勤者相互抓住來站穩) as the ground shook. Dazed residents poured into the streets (衝到街上), and offices and schools were closed. Children cried.

“This was larger than anyone expected and went on longer than anyone expected,” said Matt Alt, who lives in Tokyo.

“My wife was the calm one. … She told us to get down and put your back on something, and leave the windows and doors open in case a building shifts (建物挪移) so you don’t get trapped (受困).”

The magnitude of the earthquake and its shallow depth (淺層地震) — 15.2 miles (24.5 kilometers) – created a lot of energy (釋放出許多能量), said Shenza Chen of the U.S. Geological Survey (美國地質調查局).

The impact was felt far and wide (廣泛 / 四面八方). In McKinleyville, California, a wave swept three men into the Pacific Ocean (三人被沖入太平洋) as they were reportedly trying to take photos of the incoming tsunami waves, according to the U.S. Coast Guard (美國海岸衛隊).

Two of the men returned to shore, but one died, officials said.

Japanese government officials said large tsunami waves were still a risk to coastal Japan (大海嘯依舊威脅日本沿岸), and they urged residents in coastal areas to move to higher ground (移往較高的地方).

The tsunami brought waves of nearly 7 feet to a harbor in Maui (毛伊島), authorities said, but other areas reported lower levels.

On the U.S. mainland, wave heights from Alaska (阿拉斯加) to California (加州) ranged from less than a foot to more than 8 feet. The highest measurement, 8.1 feet, was at Crescent City, California.

Tsunamis are a series of long ocean waves that can last five to 15 minutes and cause extensive flooding in coastal areas (淹沒大面積的沿岸區). Sometimes, the waves hit in succession (海浪連續進犯) — often the highest not being the first (第一波海浪不是最高的), CNN meteorologist Ivan Cabrera said.

Humanitarian agencies (人道主義機構) were working with rescue crews to reach people affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

“When such an earthquake impacts a developed country (已開發國家) like Japan, our concern also turns to countries like the Philippines (菲律賓) and Indonesia (印尼), which might not have the same resources,” said Rachel Wolff, a spokeswoman for World Vision (世界展望會).

Wolff said her agency is helping people in Japan and teaming up to help others in countries along the path of the tsunami.

The quake was the latest in a series around Japan this week.

On Wednesday, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Honshu (本州島), the country’s meteorological agency said. Early Thursday, an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 struck off the same coast.

Friday’s quake is the strongest earthquake in recorded history to hit Japan (日本有史以來最強的地震), according to U.S. Geologic Survey records. The previous record was an 8.6-magnitude earthquake that struck near the Chubu Region (中部地方) near southwestern Honshu on October 28, 1707, that may have killed 5,000 people, CNN meteorologist (氣象學家) Sean Morris said.

That quake generated a 33-foot (10-meter) tsunami wave, and some scientists believe the quake may have triggered the eruption of Mount Fuji (富士山) 49 days later, Morris said.

The world’s largest recorded quake took place in Chile (智利) on May 22, 1960, with a magnitude of 9.5, the USGS said.

【圖片來源】大紀元 (http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/11/3/14/n3197211.htm)

【大紀元2011年03月14日訊】日本沸水堆核電站大致的工作原理：核燃料元件發生鏈式反應產生熱量，冷卻水從這些元件的縫隙之間流過被加熱、氣化，產生的水蒸汽導出到汽輪機，推動汽輪機發電。核電站在正常運行中，燃料元件也有很小的一個份額可能會破損，這些破損元件中的放射性物質會進入冷卻水中，同時也有一部份活化的放射性物質存在于這些冷卻水中。

版主今天早上收到老美總裁發出的信件，說明公司對這次日本地震災害的態度與做法：

To All Employees:

I would like to take some time to address the incredibly devastating and horrific earthquake that struck Japan.

First and foremost, I would like to let our colleagues in Japan know that our thoughts and best wishes are with them during this time of distress. There have been inquiries regarding the status of our employees and facilities in Japan. As of today, we have had no reported employee injuries and our facilities remain operational.

As we continue to witness the magnitude of the devastation experienced in Japan, there is no doubt that assistance will be needed from all over the globe.  The world is now mobilizing to help victims of Friday’s earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami on Japan. You can expect to hear more from Jason Wang, who leads our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, on how our company will be helping and how you can help.

The task ahead of the Japanese people, as well as the global community, in the weeks ahead cannot be underestimated.  We will continue to monitor this situation and keep you posted on how we will be helping.

Regards,

Kathy

(版主解說)
◎ address = 說明看法
版主會記下這句，『哪天』當上總裁時可以用到 :-)。

◎ our thoughts and best wishes are with them during this time of distress / Our thoughts are with them in this time of great trial = 在這苦難的時刻擔憂他們 (員工) 並祝他們安好。

◎ regarding = 『關於』的意思。

◎ as of today = 直到今天。

◎ As … = 當…。詳細用法請參照『英文專題討論：When, While, As 三者有何差別？(實戰篇：As)』。

◎ corporate social responsibility = 企業社會責任。

◎ cannot be underestimated = 不可小覷。

◎ 這裡出現好幾個 “on” => 『關於』的意思。

◎ keep sb posted on … = 一有最新消息會隨時告知某人。
** 這句話超極重要，版主發現很多台灣人不會用這句。所以呢？馬上把這句英文背起來用，不要懷疑。

這封信是回應上一封信總裁的信，說明分公司在這次日本地震災害所受到的影響：

Hi All Employees:

This is a follow up to my message I sent you yesterday.  As we continue to monitor the ever-changing situation in Japan after the devastating events that have taken place, we have received updated information on our facilities in the region as follows:

In Sendai, our production facilities are secured and have no damage, but the shutdown of major highways and issues with electricity and water have caused the site to be closed for the next few days.

In Koriyama, telecommunications and email are working, and facility management is onsite. Minor maintenance and repairs are being performed at the site and it will be closed for the next few days.

In Tokyo, the offices are reportedly fine, but major transportation difficulties in and out of the city are being experienced as many of the railways have been shut down. Additionally, the Kanto area has begun planned three-hour blackouts that will take place daily and are expected to continue until the end of April.

Transportation/supply chain throughout Japan has been affected and our internal global procurement team is closely monitoring this situation. Supply chain updates will be posted internally at the global procurement intranet page located at: http://intranet.Aflex.com/gp

We would like to remind our friends and colleagues in Japan that our thoughts are with them during this difficult time. Jason Wang is working closely with our colleagues in Japan to determine how we can best help and donate to Japan relief efforts. You can expect to hear more on this topic soon.

Best regards,

Kathy

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