◎李信漢
The "El Nino" phenomenon, which sparks global climate extremes, is this year the worst in more than 15 years, the UN weather agency said Monday, warning it was already causing severe droughts and flooding.
「聖嬰」現象在全球各地造成極端氣候，今年是逾15年來最嚴重的一次，聯合國氣象機構週一警告，「聖嬰」現象已造成嚴重的乾旱和水災。
The World Meteorological Organization said El Nino, which occurs every two to seven years, had resurfaced a few months ago, become "mature and strong", and was expected to become even more powerful by the end of the year.
世界氣象組織（WMO）說，每2到7年發生一次的「聖嬰」現象，已在幾個月前再次出現，變得「成熟」和「強大」，估計到年底會變得更強大。
"Severe droughts and devastating flooding being experienced throughout the tropics and sub-tropical zones bear the hallmarks of this El Nino, which is the strongest in more than 15 years," WMO chief Michel Jarraud said in a statement.
「在赤道和亞熱帶地區出現嚴重乾旱和造成嚴重災情的洪水，正是聖嬰現象的標誌，這是逾15年來最強烈的一次。」世界氣象組織秘書長賈侯在聲明中說。
El Nino is triggered by a warming in sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. It can cause unusually heavy rains in some parts of the world and drought elsewhere.
「聖嬰」現象肇因於太平洋的海平面溫度上升，它可能在世界某些地方造成不尋常的豪雨，而在其他地方造成乾旱。
The UN agency said this year’s event was expected to push water surface temperatures in the east-central Pacific Ocean more than two degrees Celsius above normal, making it one of the four strongest El Ninos since 1950.
這個聯合國機構說，今年預期將造成東太平洋中部區域的水面溫度比正常標準上升逾2度，使得今年成為自1950年以來最強大的4個聖嬰現象之一。
Previous particularly strong El Ninos occurred in 1972-73, 1982-83 and 1997-98. （AFP）
此前特別強大的聖嬰現象，發生在1972至73年、1982至83年和1997至98年。（法新社）
新聞辭典
resurface：動詞，重新露面、浮現。例句：His resentment toward her resurfaced.（他對她的憎恨再次浮現。）
hallmark：名詞，特點，標誌。例句：Humor is one of the hallmarks of her style.（幽默是她的個人特色之一。）
havoc：名詞，大混亂，浩劫。例句：A powerful tornado wreaked havoc on the small village.（一個威力強大的龍捲風造成這個小村莊的浩劫。）
全通翻譯引用自 http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english..
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