波多黎各救援：特朗普在一系列地震后宣布重大災難

波多黎各救援：特朗普在一系列地震后宣布重大災難

Weeks after a powerful earthquake and dozens of aftershocks rocked Puerto Rico, citizens whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the quakes will be granted access to some financial relief, officials announced on Thursday.

波多黎各發(fā)生強烈地震和數(shù)十次余震幾周后，官員周四宣布，房屋被地震破壞或摧毀的居民將獲得部分經(jīng)濟援助。

President Trump "declared that a major disaster exists" in the southern regions of Puerto Rico and "ordered Federal assistance to supplement Commonwealth and local recovery efforts," the White House said in a statement.

白宮在一份聲明中表示，特朗普總統(tǒng)“宣布波多黎各南部地區(qū)存在重大災難”，并“下令提供聯(lián)邦援助，以補充聯(lián)邦和地方的重建工作”。

The announcement of the disaster declaration comes on the same day the Department of Housing and Urban Development formally announced a grant agreement with Puerto Rico, releasing another $8.2 billion in aid.

就在宣布災難的同一天，住房和城市發(fā)展部正式宣布與波多黎各達成一項贈款協(xié)議，再發(fā)放82億美元的援助。

Those funds were made available to help with recovery from the 2017 hurricanes Maria and Irma, a gesture that is seen as extremely overdue by many on the ravaged island, as well as Democratic lawmakers in Congress.

這些資金是用來幫助從2017年的颶風瑪麗亞和伊爾瑪中恢復過來的，這個飽受摧毀的島嶼上的許多人以及國會中的民主黨議員認為，這一舉措是非常姍姍來遲的。

Details about the forthcoming assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency remain vague but a spokesman told NPR the funds will be released "on an ongoing basis."

美國聯(lián)邦緊急事務管理署即將提供的援助細節(jié)仍不明確，但一名發(fā)言人對美國國家公共電臺(NPR)表示，援助資金將“持續(xù)”發(fā)放。

"Thank you President [Trump] for signing the declaration of disaster for the southern towns of Puerto Rico after the January earthquakes," Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Jenniffer González tweeted. "Your action will help the island in the recovery process."

波多黎各專員珍妮佛·岡薩雷斯在推特上寫道:“感謝特朗普總統(tǒng)在1月份的地震后簽署了波多黎各南部城鎮(zhèn)災難宣言。”“你的行動將有助于該島的恢復進程。”

It is unclear exactly how much money will be made available. However, the White House said individuals can begin applying for grants for temporary housing, home repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. Only those who live in the municipalities of Guánica, Guayanilla, Penuelas, Ponce, Utuado and Yauco will be eligible.

目前還不清楚具體會提供多少資金。然而，白宮表示，個人可以開始申請臨時住房、房屋維修和低成本貸款，以彌補未投保的財產(chǎn)損失。只有那些居住在瓜亞尼卡市、瓜亞尼拉市、佩努埃拉斯市、龐塞市、烏圖阿多市和約科市的人才有資格申請。

Thousands who live in those communities are still sleeping outside, afraid to return to their homes. Earthquakes have continued to rattle the island since the first 5.4 temblor struck the island on Dec. 28. Since then at least one person has died and many others have been seriously injured or left homeless by collapsed buildings.

居住在這些社區(qū)的數(shù)千人仍然睡在外面，不敢回家。自12月28日第一次5.4級地震襲擊該島以來，地震仍在繼續(xù)。從那時起，至少有一人死亡，許多人嚴重受傷或因建筑倒塌而無家可歸。

In a statement from HUD, Secretary Ben Carson said the months-long hold on the hurricane recovery aid was lifted as a result of additional oversight financial measures have been taken.

"Now that proper financial controls are in place, implementing the second phase of Puerto Rico's disaster recovery program can move forward with an extension to its line of credit," Carson said.

在住房和城市發(fā)展部的一份聲明中，部長本·卡森表示，由于采取了額外的監(jiān)督財政措施，對颶風恢復援助長達數(shù)月的擱置已經(jīng)解除。“既然適當?shù)呢攧湛刂埔呀?jīng)到位，就可以推進實施波多黎各災難恢復計劃的第二階段，擴大其信貸額度，”卡森說。

The funding was supposed to be released in September, but Carson refused to do so out of concern that the money would be mismanaged by officials in Puerto Rico. As a result, only $1.5 billion out of approximately $20 billion that was appropriated by Congress been disbursed.

這筆資金本應在9月發(fā)放，但卡森拒絕發(fā)放，因為他擔心這筆資金會被波多黎各官員管理不當。結果，國會撥出的大約200億美元中，只有15億美元到位。

On Thursday, Carson added that more oversight was needed before HUD "could proceed with confidence" the disaster funds could be distributed and spent properly.

星期四，卡森補充說，在住房和城市建設部“有信心地進行”救災資金的分配和合理使用之前，需要進行更多的監(jiān)督。

Carson's delay was met with outrage by Puerto Rican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress who argued the island territory was being treated unfairly, while states including Florida and Texas were given swift access to emergency funding following 2017 disasters.

卡森的推遲引起了波多黎各人和國會民主黨議員的憤怒，他們認為波多黎各受到了不公平的對待，而包括佛羅里達州和得克薩斯州在內的一些州在2017年發(fā)生災難后很快獲得了緊急資金。