今年秋雨强、秋汛重，北方降雨比常年明显偏多。10月2日至7日，山西省多地遭遇强降雨。
More than 120,000 people have been temporarily evacuated after continuous downpours triggered floods in north China's Shanxi province, authorities said Sunday.The floods have disrupted the lives of 1.76 million residents from 76 counties, cities and districts, according to the provincial department of emergency management.Some 190,000 hectares of crops were damaged and more than 17,000 houses collapsed, the department said.山西省应急管理厅表示，连续强降雨引发的洪涝灾害已导致山西76个县（市、区）约176万人受灾，12万多人转移安置，约19万公顷农作物受灾，1.7万余间房屋倒塌。
【知识点】
从气象上来说，24小时降水量（24-hour precipitation）为50毫米或以上的雨称为“暴雨”（rainstorm/ downpour/ torrential rain）。特大暴雨是一种灾害性天气（disastrous weather），往往造成“洪涝灾害”（flood），在山区还会引发“山体滑坡”（Landslide）和“泥石流”（debris flow）。Landslide（山体滑坡）是暴雨使山体不堪重负，由山体薄弱地带断开整体下滑，而debris flow（泥石流）是暴雨使沙土石达到水饱和，在重力的作用下液化的泥沙石向低洼处流动。
Heavy rains hav damaged a 25-meter wall section of the ancient town of Pingyao, a UNESCO world heritage site famous for its well-preserved ancient architecture.受强降雨影响，平遥古城墙发生局部坍塌，坍塌长度约25米。平遥古城是联合国教科文组织世界遗产，是保存完好的知名古建筑。
Meanwhile, 60 coal mines have suspended operations after heavy rain lashed the coal-rich province, local authorities said on Friday.
当地政府10月8日表示，受强降雨影响，该省60个煤矿暂停生产。
Operations at 372 non-coal mines, 14 hazardous-chemical enterprises, over 1,000 construction projects and 166 scenic spots have also been suspended.
同时，暂时关闭非煤矿山372座、危化企业14家，在建工程1000多个，景区166个。
山西此轮降水极端异常，导致汾河、沁河、浊漳河等多条河流发生涨水过程及险情。
The dyke of the Fenhe River, a major tributary of the Yellow River, near Qiaodong village in Xinjiang county was breached at about 5 pm Thursday, said the municipal publicity department of Yuncheng. The Xinjiang section in the lower reaches of the river is facing the largest flood crest in nearly four decades.运城市宣传部表示，10月7日17点，汾河下游新绛段遭遇近40年来最大洪峰，新绛县桥东村附近的汾河部分堤坝发生决口。汾河是黄河的一条主要支流。
【知识点】
在水文学上，支流（tributary）指汇入另一条河流（或其他水体）而不直接入海的河流。支流所汇入的河流称为干流或主流（mainstream），两河或多河交汇之处称为合流或合流处（confluence）。与支流相反的情况称为分流（distributary）。
The nearly 20-meter-long dyke breach was closed on Friday.10月8日，这个近20米长的堤坝决口完成封堵。
抢险救灾进展
Local authorities have heightened and consolidated 13.7 km of the river dykes and evacuated 17,631 residents.
当地政府已疏散17631名群众，加高加固堤坝13.7公里。
The provincial authorities have earmarked 50 million yuan to support the flood control and relief work, 20 million will be used for disaster relief work for people severely impacted by flooding.
山西省已紧急下达省级雨涝灾害救灾资金5000万元，其中2000万元用于支持受灾严重的群众。
On Saturday, the China National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Emergency Management jointly activated a Level-IV emergency response to floods in Shanxi and dispatched a working team to the affected area. The province has also issued a Level-III emergency response for natural disasters.
10月9日，国家减灾委、应急管理部启动国家Ⅳ级救灾应急响应并派出工作组赶赴灾区。山西省同时启动自然灾害III级应急响应。
山西究竟下了多少雨？
中央气象局的一位专家表示：
The heavy rain in Shanxi lasted from Oct 2 to 6, and it was accompanied by thunderstorms and a significant drop in temperature.强降雨从10月2日持续到6日，同时伴有雷暴和明显降温。
The average rainfall in Shanxi for the month of October is 31.1 millimeters, but from 8 pm on Oct 2 to 8 am of Oct 7, it saw precipitation averaging 119.5 mm. Eighteen counties in the province had more than 200 mm of rain during the period, with a maximum recording of 285.2 mm, the expert said.
山西全省10月份月平均降水量为31.1毫米。但是从10月2日20时至7日8时，山西省平均降水量达119.5毫米。全省有18个县（市、区）降水超过200毫米，累计降水量最大为285.2毫米。
A total of 63 national weather monitoring stations in the province saw the accumulated precipitation figures reach record highs.
全省63个国家气象观测站过程累计降水量超过同期历史极值。
【相关词汇】
floods 洪水
flash floods 山洪暴发
water level 水位
flood level 洪水水位
warning level 警戒水位
watercourses 河道/水道
water discharge 排水量
precipitation 降水量
release flood waters 泄洪
flood-diversion zones 分洪区
check dam 淤地坝/拦沙坝
flood-prevention 防洪
spillway 泄洪道
参考来源：新华网、中国日报网
（中国日报网英语点津 Helen）
来源：中国日报网
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