亞太地區不斷受災 損失加大

Climate and disaster risk experts say the Asia Pacific region faces rising costs from storms and disasters often tied to climate change, creating new challenges for regions as they try to prepare and recover from such events. Warning comes as Thailand and the Philippines attempt to bounce back from recent disasters and the region gets ready to mark the seventh anniversary of the devastating 2004 Indonesian earthquake and tsunami.

氣候和災難風險專家說，亞太地區遭受着氣候變化所造成的暴雨和其它災難，該地區因此面臨着越來越大的損失。在防災和救災過程中，亞太地區也面臨着新的挑戰。在泰國和菲律賓試圖從最近的災難中恢復的時候，整個地區已經在準備紀念2004年印尼地震和海嘯7週年了。

The backhoe lifts piles of discarded rubbish left from flood-stricken homes and businesses in the Muang Ake community on the outskirts of Bangkok.

在曼谷近郊的一個社區，鏟土機正從被水淹過的住宅和商家外鏟走一堆堆的垃圾。

The community, in Pathum Thani province, was hard hit during the recent floods, with waters of up to two meters inundating the area for over six weeks.

巴吞他尼省的這個社區叫芒阿克，在最近的洪澇災害中受災最嚴重，這個地區被近兩米深的雨水浸泡了6個星期。

On a drive through, the community is a scene of devastation. Furniture and wall panels lay discarded, as people go about cleaning up from the most severe floods in Thailand in over 50 years.

這個社區一片災難景象。傢俱和牆板被衝到街上，人們正在逐步清理半個多世紀以來泰國遭受的最嚴重水災帶來的一片狼藉。

On Saturday, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra was reported to have declared that the flood waters have receded from the area.

星期六，有媒體報導說，曼谷市長素坤攀宣佈，洪水已經從這一地區退去。

But for communities such as Muang Ake, recovery remains a distant goal, says Charun Likitrattanaporn, dean of agriculture at Rajamangala University of Technology campus at Muang Ake.

詩威猜拉差蒙坤技術大學農業系的主任差倫說，像芒阿克這樣的社區從災難中恢復將是一個遙遠的目標。

"This, I think, is long term because we have to reorganize. Some parts are already totally damaged. So it will take one or two years to recover. Some [businesses] cannot open again because they have to invest again in furniture, equipment. I think they cannot come back. Some of them cannot come back," said Charun Likitrattanaporn.

他說：“這是一個長期任務。我們必須認識到這一點。因爲一些地區已被徹底破壞，至少需要一兩年時間才能恢復。有些生意從此停業，除非它們再度投資，添置傢俱和設備。我認爲它們不會重新回到這裏了，有些已經無力恢復生意了。”

Nationally, almost 800 lives were lost from Thailand's floods, with an economic toll close to $45 billion. A state economic think tank says one million people are now unemployed as thousands of small businesses and several industrial estates try to revive themselves.

泰國大水造成全國近800人喪生，經濟損失近450億美元。一個國有經濟智庫說，目前有100萬人沒有工作，數以千計的小企業以及幾家大型工廠都在試圖從殘局中恢復過來。

The United Nations says the five months of floods across Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam affected a population of up to 20 million people.

聯合國說，泰國、柬埔寨、老撾以及越南持續5個月的洪水給多達2000萬人口帶來影響。

This week, the Philippine regions of Cagayan de Oro and Illigan are recovering from a tropical storm that officially left 1,000 dead, but with media reports putting the toll much higher. The United Nations says more than 300,000 people were displaced and are now dependent on outside emergency assistance.

本週，菲律賓的卡加延德奧羅以及伊利甘地區剛從一場熱帶風暴中逐漸恢復，官方數字顯示，這次災害造成1000人喪生，而媒體報導的死亡人數要高得多。聯合國說，30多萬人無家可歸，目前他們的生活都要靠外界緊急援助。

These tragedies come as Asia prepares to mark the seventh anniversary on Monday of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. The tragedy claimed over 230,000 lives across 14 countries, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in history.

目前亞洲在準備紀念2004年印度洋地震和海嘯爆發7週年。那次災難造成14個國家的23萬人喪生，成爲有史以來死亡人數最多的一次自然災害。Bhichit Rattakul, from the Bangkok-based Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, says despite lessons from 2004, the region remains ill-prepared to cope with natural disasters.

總部在曼谷的亞洲災難防範中心的專家拉塔庫爾說，儘管出現了2004年的慘重教訓，該地區在對付自然災害方面仍然缺乏準備。

"Asia prepared? The answer from my point of view is no. Even through some of the improvement has been going [on] for the last few years since the tsunami in 2004, but [there is] still a long way to go compared with the more violent situation into the future - climate change due to global warming," said Bhichit Rattakul.

他說：“亞洲已經嚴陣以待？我的觀點是否定的。儘管2004年特大海嘯以來最近幾年出現了一些改進，但是在應對未來更大自然災害以及全球變暖帶來的氣候變化方面，仍然有很長的路要走。”

The World Bank says the Asia Pacific region bears the brunt of natural disasters, accounting for 80 percent of lives lost globally. Economic losses from disasters are also rising exponentially as more infrastructure is affected.

世界銀行說，亞太地區受到自然災害的正面衝擊，亞洲人員在全球人口中死亡人數佔80%。天災造成的經濟損失也呈指數上升趨勢，更多的基礎設施受到影響。

The bank, in a recent report, warned the number of people likely to be exposed to natural disasters by 2050 will double to 1.5 billion people, with 200 million in India alone.

世界銀行在最近一個報告中警告說，到2050年遭受災害侵襲的人數要加倍增長，達到15億人，僅印度一個國家受災人數就將達兩億人之多。

Amit Jha, joint secretary of India's Natural Disaster Management Authority, says growing uncertainties arising from climate change means many nations may find past disaster mitigation measures inadequate.

印度自然災害管理機構的高級官員說，因氣候變化而出現了越來越多的不穩定因素，也顯示很多國家可能會發現過去的抗災手段遠遠不足。

"From the Indian point of view there's no definite point at which we can say that we are fully prepared because of the ferocity of disasters and the unpredictability is increasing," said Jha. "Therefore, the traditional preparedness measures which were adequate 10 or 20 years back do not seem so adequate now."

他說：“從印度的觀點來看沒有某項措施能讓我們保證說可以足夠抵禦天災，因爲自然災害的破壞性和不可預測性都在上升。因此傳統的防範措施可以在過去10年到20年中發揮效力，而現在卻不那麼有效了。”

The World Bank, which is collaborating with the Indian government, says urban areas are vulnerable and has recommended building and maintaining sound infrastructure and public services as key steps to reduce the risks from future natural disasters.

正在和印度政府協作的世界銀行說，城市地區容易遭受自然災害侵襲，建議修建並保持良好的基礎設施和公共服務項目，這些都是減少未來自然災害風險的關鍵步驟.