VOA标准英语2008年-Gustav Slams Louisiana
搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号：tingroom，领取免费英语资料大礼包。
（单词翻译）
Hurricane Gustav swept across the Louisiana coast on Monday, bringing torrential rains but doing far less damage than had been feared. VOA's Barry Wood rode out the Category 2 hurricane in New Orleans where he reports the concern now is flooding from over-topped levees. |
| Satellite image shows Hurricane Gustav as it plows1 ashore2 on US coast |
The storm struck the U.S. Gulf3 Coast southwest of New Orleans, knocking down power lines and creating waves several meters high. Torrential rain buffeted4 the coast as the storm brushed past New Orleans, losing strength as it headed inland past city of Baton5 Rouge6 and into the state of Texas.
Emergency officials are relieved that losses are low. But Louisiana's Lieutenant7 Governor, Mitchell Landrieu, says he worries most about the levees and walls that protect populated areas from the swollen8 Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain.
"We're watching the television pictures of the splash over on the industrial canal [in New Orleans] and monitoring things as carefully as we can. I want to remind everybody about [Hurricane] Katrina [three years ago]. That storm passed and everybody thought it was OK. And then, other things happened," he said.
Three years ago, levees were breached10 by the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina, inundating11 80 percent of New Orleans, destroying homes and leaving thousands of people stranded12. More than 1,400 died in that storm and in the chaotic13 and late rescue effort that followed.
 |
| A Louisiana National Guard vehicle in New Orleans, 01 Sep 2008 |
This time, people heeded14 warnings to evacuate15 and nearly two million departed from coastal16 areas in advance of the storm. Rescue efforts have been prompt and well coordinated17.
Greg Champagne18, the Sheriff of St. Charles Parish, a district west of New Orleans, says it is too early for evacuees19 to return. "Sit tight just a little bit longer. We've got plenty of deputies to control the streets and protect your property tonight [Monday night]. We're going to be out there in full, full force, very aggressively. We don't want anyone on the streets tonight. Our curfew, consider it in effect now. Don't go on the streets, residents. Stay home! There is nothing you can do on the streets except hurt yourselves," he said.
While New Orleans was largely deserted20 when the storm hit, C.W. Stanbaugh was among those who stayed behind. From the front door of his home, he surveyed the fallen trees. "The only damage I've seen is on the street here. From what I've seen on our battery-operated television, it seems to be pretty much like this all over the city."
Meanwhile, New Orleans has yet to fully9 recover from the devastation21 of Katrina in 2005.
