[ti:Cows, Farmers at Risk in Portugal's Azores]
[by:www.21voa.com]
[00:00.00]更多听力请访问21VOA.COM
[00:01.52]The Azores, the Portuguese group of islands
[00:06.20]in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean,
[00:09.04]has seen seismic activity since March 19th.
[00:15.04]More than 14,000 small earthquakes have hit the island.
[00:21.32]The dairy farmers on the volcanic island of Sao Jorge are worried.
[00:29.24]Sao Jorge has fertile, green farmland that is used
[00:34.92]by the many cows that move around the island eating grass.
[00:40.92]The cows produce fresh milk that is used for traditional cheese,
[00:47.12]the main source of money for many families.
[00:51.44]Milk production is 70 percent to 80 percent of the island's economy.
[00:59.84]The small earthquakes, called tremors, have increased in strength
[01:06.00]to a magnitude of 3.3 over the past few days.
[01:12.88]The tremors could signal a greater earthquake
[01:17.28]or even a volcanic eruption.
[01:21.44]CIVISA watches for earthquake and volcanic activity.
[01:28.32]They increased the volcanic activity level
[01:32.84]to Level 4, the second highest.
[01:36.64]This means that there is a strong chance that the island
[01:42.00]could see its first eruption since 1808.
[01:46.60]Despite the tremors, farmers continue to milk
[01:51.32]over 200 cows every day.
[01:55.80]Rui Bettencourt is a 47-year-old farmer.
[02:01.36]He says that he does not have time
[02:04.40]to think about the earthquakes.
[02:07.04]"There are earthquakes but we have to go out every day.
[02:11.88]We can't abandon the animals," says Bettencourt.
[02:17.88]Antonio Aguiar is the president of the factory
[02:23.08]where Bettencourt sells his milk.
[02:26.84]He says that the farmers will be the last to leave the island
[02:32.16]if a natural disaster happens.
[02:36.36]"They (farmers) continue to work
[02:38.24]because this is where they earn their income," said Aguiar.
[02:44.08]Some people of the island have already left
[02:48.48]because they are afraid of a possible eruption.
[02:52.64]This has led to shortages of workers
[02:56.28]in all three of Sao Jorge's cheese factories.
[03:02.28]If there are not enough workers to process the milk,
[03:06.80]farmers will make less money.
[03:09.92]The agricultural leader of the government
[03:13.60]said they would help with financial support
[03:16.96]for farmers who cannot sell their milk.
[03:21.56]Aguiar says that farmers here and around the world
[03:26.32]are already struggling with rising fuel and animal feed prices
[03:32.72]due to the Russian war in Ukraine.
[03:36.72]A natural disaster would make the situation more difficult.
[03:42.52]There is also a concern over volcanic ash
[03:46.52]and its effect on farmland.
[03:50.04]And lastly, the cows are showing signs of stress
[03:55.76]due to the tremors, says Aguiar.
[04:00.00]The government of the Azores said it would help move
[04:04.16]the animals to safe places if there is more activity.
[04:09.80]Antonio Jorge is another dairy farmer in his 40s.
[04:15.44]He says that he is scared,
[04:18.32]but he has no plans right now to leave the island.
[04:23.96]"... I'm not going to turn my back on what I have here
[04:28.44]and walk off the island," he said.
[04:32.36]I'm Faith Pirlo. 更多听力请访问21VOA.COM