Наводнение на юге России

По меньшей мере четыре человека погибли в результате наводнения на юге России. Наводнение, захватившее Ставрополье и Краснодарский край, возникло из-за продолжительных ливневых дождей. По данным МЧС, за неполных четыре дня во многих районах региона выпало больше месячной нормы осадков. Река Кубань затопила Ессентуки, Пятигорск и Минводы, затоплены 559 зданий, в том числе 543 частных жилых дома. В целом же от наводнения на Ставрополье пострадали 28 населенных пунктов.

В районах бедствия разрушены участки канализационной системы, прервано движение автотранспорта, затоплена трасса Кисловодск-Москва. В нескольких районах из-за разрыва и затопления газопроводов нарушено газоснабжение населения. Территориальные системы МЧС в Ставропольском крае приведены в режим боевой готовности. В ликвидации последствий наводнения участвуют 598 человек и 150 единиц техники. Размер нанесенного ущерба уточняется. На месте чрезвычайных происшествий бригады медиков оказывают необходимую помощь пострадавшим с ушибами, порезами и другими травмами, не представляющими опасности для здоровья.

подтопить – underflood

газопровод – gas pipeline

газоснабжение – gas supply

Text 8. Devastating drought brings despair to much of us

Drought took a grip on more than half of the United States. Twenty-six states suffered severe drought conditions and "exceptional drought" -the worst level of drought measured - blanketed thirteen states, including New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. In a typical year, drought hits 10 to 12 percent of the country. A lot of hydrological problems arose with wells and reservoirs and streams going dry.

From southern California to South Carolina and from Montana to New Mexico, individuals and industries were suffering. Richard Spera, the owner of Canal Lakes Resort in South Carolina, was one of thousands of operators of recreational businesses, like marinas*, restaurants, and lodges**, who had watched his income drop along with lake levels.

Crops withered in heat-baked fields, and ranchers sold off herds rather than let them starve for lack of pasture.

Tourism was also hit as the drought turned state and national parks into kindling. Wildfires scorched more than 4.6 million acres (1.9 million hectares), twice the average acreage had burned in the previous decade.

There was a battle for new water sources as town and city residents were urged to stop watering lawns and washing cars. In Monticello, Georgia, south of Atlanta, officials banned all outside watering, saying creek levels were so low that the area could run out of water in 30 to 45 days. Wheat harvest underscored the devastation as production fell to the lowest levels in nearly 30 years.

In Nebraska, experts estimated the losses at more than $1.4 billion. Some people who lived through the 'dust bowl' years said it was as bad as a severe drought in the 1930s.

In Colorado, Denver's water reservoirs hit a historic low on July 1, at only 66 percent full. And Colorado Governor signed into law a bill creating a $1 million emergency drought fund, so that farmers and ranchers could buy water. State leaders demanded that Washington assigned disaster aid. Though the scope of assistance needed had not been determined, they called for more than $5 billion.

A key factor in the water shortage was the lack of adequate snowpack in the mountains. Melting snow from higher elevations usually feeds rivers and streams, but last year, snowpacks in the Rocky Mountains were only a quarter of normal levels - one of lowest on record.

Lack of rain was the other obvious factor. In Dodge City, Kansas, rainfall over the 14 months ending in July amounted to the driest period since 1952-53.

The water shortages prompted battles between upstream and downstream states and between individuals and businesses. In Jasper County, South Carolina, more than 100 people turned out for a meeting with state officials after a drop in an underground aquifer left them without water. Rural residents blamed business operators for using too much water.

North and South Carolina fought over North Carolina's refusal to release water from its reservoirs downstream. People were battling for water like nobody had ever seen before.

This drought was the extension of more than two years of very dry conditions in many states. Some areas were experiencing their fifth consecutive year of drought. The conditions were near those seen during the country's most devastating drought in the 1930s - the "dust bowl" years, when some 60 percent of the United States was affected.

Global warming, changing weather patterns, bad land management and many other factors were involved in the debate over what caused the drought.

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* marina – пристань для яхт, причал; эспланада вдоль морского берега

** lodges – домики (напр. пансионат)

Exercise 5. Read the following sentences and decide whether they are true (T) or false (F). Say why.

1) The drought affected less than half of the United States.

2) Ranchers sold off their cattle.

3) Only city residents could water their lawns.

4) Colorado's government created a $1 million emergency drought fund.

5) A key factor in the water shortage was melting snow from higher elevations.

6) The water shortages prompted battles between farmers and townspeople.

7) Many states experienced more than two years of very dry conditions,

8) The drought was caused only by global warming.

Exercise 6. Match the terms in column A with their definitions in column B.

A	B
1) drought 2) level 3) snowpack 4) aid 5) ban 6) average	a) help, such as money or food, given by an organisation b) quantities that are typical of most things or events c) a long period of dry weather d) to say that something must not be done e) the reserve of snow in mountains to melt during summer period f) the measured amount of something that exists at a particular time or in a particular place

Exercise 7. Read the text below and look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word which should not be there. Tick the correct line and write the wrong word next to the number. There are two examples at the beginning.