VOA标准英语2013--Victims of Oklahoma Tornado Get Help From Near and Far

（单词翻译）

Victims of Oklahoma Tornado¹ Get Help From Near and Far

The devastation² of her home brought a bitter twist of irony³ to Linda Berna. She helped with search and rescue efforts here after the May 1999 tornado.

“We kicked down doors to see if there were any survivors⁴, and now here I am on the other side. I never thought this would happen,” Berna said.

Hundreds of people like Berna are coping with loss and trying to survive.

To help them, Moore's First Baptist Church offered its large property as a center for relief operations.

For people in Moore who lost their homes or had homes heavily damaged, state and local officials, as well as private groups, have set up a command center here to provide them with food, and shelter if necessary.

But most people don't need to come here because volunteers load up trucks with water and food to distribute around town.

Donations have poured in from around Oklahoma and from many other states.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is on hand; so is the Red Cross.

And there are representatives from major insurance companies helping⁵ people file claims.

The State Farm company even offered relief in the form of free ice cream cones⁶.

Moore resident Natasha says USAA insurance adjusters quickly provided her with a way to fix her home's damaged roof.  

“They said 'you were affected⁷ by the tornado, what were your damages?' They were real helpful, they took our claim,” Natasha said.

The USAA insurance company brought in a mobile claims processing unit from Texas and has 120 claims adjusters here.  

The tornadoes⁸ damaged or destroyed around 12,000 homes, with the total cost exceeding $2 billion. But Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner⁹ John Doak says that isn't his main concern.

“There are a lot of people out here trying to help hurt people who have lost loved ones, and we are trying to help them with their homes and autos and other things, but it pales in comparison of the loss of life,” Doak said.

On Friday, some of the activity here will cease as the church is used for two funerals of tornado victims, the first of many to come.