UNIT 4 NATURAL DISASTERS5·12 汶川地震，发生于 2008 年 5 月 12 日(星期一)14 时 28 分 04 秒，根据中华人民共和国地震局的数据，此次震级达 8.0 级，地震波及大半个中国及亚洲多个国家和地区，北至辽宁，东至上海，南至香港、澳门、泰国、越南，西至巴基斯坦均有震感。5·12 汶川地震严重破坏地区超过 10 万平方千米，其中，极重灾区共 10 个县(市)，较重灾区共 41 个县(市)，一般灾区共 186 个县(市)。截至 2008 年 9 月 18 日 12 时，5·12 汶川地震共造成 69 227 人死亡，374 643 人受伤，17 923 人失踪，是中华人民共和国成立以来破坏力最大的地震，也是唐山大地震后伤亡最严重的一次地震。经国务院批准，自 2009 年起，每年 5 月 12 日为全国“防灾减灾日”。 BBC News about Wenchuan EarthquakeA powerful earthquake in China is feared to have killed thousands of people in the southwestern province of Sichuan. The official news agency Xinhua says nearly ten thousand people may have died, with many more buried and injured. In one county, most of the buildings are reported to have collapsed(倒塌). Michael Bristow sent this report from western China.“This is the biggest earthquake to hit China in more than 30 years. Thousands are already confirmed (证实) dead. Chinese state media are reporting that 900 middle school children were buried when their school collapsed. At least 50 are known to have died. 80% of the buildings in one county alone have collapsed, and up to 5 000 people there are feared dead. The earthquake struck just before 2：30 this afternoon. The epicenter (震中) was in the mountainous Wenchuan county in Sichuan province.”And today marks the 11th anniversary of the terrible earthquake that struck Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan province. The earthquake was the strongest to hit China since 1950.At least 87,000 people were killed or declared missing in the disa...
