【推荐2】Landslides ( 山体滑坡 ) occur when large amounts of wet debris ( 碎片 ), including rocks, earth, and trees, slide down a slope ( 斜 坡 ). They may occur as a result of fires, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms, or human activities. Landslides are particularly dangerous because they strike suddenly, move at extremely high speeds, and travel long distances. Although landslides are often difficult to predict, you can prepare for a landslide by following proper safety rules, ensure that you’re familiar with the warning signs, and making an emergency plan.

Become familiar with the land around where you live and work so that you understand your risk in different situations.

Learn about local emergency response plans.

Stay alert and awake in danger. Many deaths from landslides occur while people are sleeping.

Listen for unusual sounds that might indicate moving debris, such as trees cracking ( 爆裂声 ). If you are near a stream or river, be watchful for any sudden increase or decrease in water flow and notice whether the water changes from clear to muddy. Such changes may mean there is debris flow activity upstream, so be prepared to move quickly.

Listen to local news stations on a battery-powered radio for warnings of heavy rainfall.

Consider leaving if it is safe to do so.

If you suspect a danger, evacuate ( 撤退) immediately. Inform your neighbours if you can, and contact your public works, fire or police department.

Be especially alert when driving-watch for collapsed pavement, mud, fallen rocks and other indications of possible debris flow.

Talk to everyone in your family what to do if a landslide occurs. Create and practise an evacuation plan for your family and your business.

【推荐3】Over the past few months huge groups of locusts(蝗虫), one of which occupied an area more than three times the size of New York City, have eaten up crops across the Home of Africa and the Middle East, leaving an estimated 20 million people at risk of famine(饥荒). The first generation's eggs are starting to hatch, and now even bigger swarms(虫群) are forming threatening. Countries from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Yemen, Iran, Pakistan and India, “representing a threat to food security and livelihoods,” says the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO).

Desert locusts' populations explode when weather conditions are right. That explosion can create huge swarms that can travel great distance-more than 90 miles in a day-in search of food. Warm weather and unusually heavy rains in the Horn of Africa at the end of 2019 provided the moist(湿润的) soil necessary for hatching eggs. From there, the insects spread rapidly, resulting in one of the worst outbreaks the region has seen in more than 70 years.

A typical swarm numbering 4 billion to 8 billion locusts, can consume in one day the same   amount of food as 35 million people. Some swarms have been so thick in parts of Kenya that they have prevented planes from taking off. Governments have used widespread aerial spraying of pesticides when available; in poorer regions, where aircraft are unavailable, soldiers battle the swarms with handheld spray pump.

The FAO has appealed for $138 million to support affected communities, If the locusts are not stopped before the next generation hatches, the impact could be terrible: the FAO guesses that an additional 25 million people across the region could lose their crops. Scientists in Kenya hope a new computer-assisted tracking program that combines satellite data with weather-mapping software will help predict the swarms next destination, buying-regional authorities enough time to prepare a response. Buy coronavirus- related travel restriction have delayed relief efforts as well as response mechanisms. The locusts have no such travel limitations.

【推荐2】Recently, research on how a new virtual (虚拟的) reality (VR) experience educated primary children about the fire disasters was done. It was developed by the University of South Australia, aiming to educate children to learn how to be safer in a fire.

Focusing on children aged 10-12 years old, the new VR experience presents a situation where children are tasked to look after a friend’s dog just before a fire event begins to spread. They participate in a series of problem-solving activities to help save and protect themselves and the dog.

The findings showed that more than 80 percent of children reported that they felt more confident to calmly assess the situation and make wise decisions to protect themselves from a fire. This isl especially important considering that 91 percent of participants originally lacked any knowledge of fires, and that 67 percent had said that they were too young to make safety decisions in a fire.

The researchers believed such immersive (沉浸式的) VR experiences had real potential (潜力) to attract and educate the young. “As children born in digital times, they are interested in such technology and they can experience events realistically yet within the safe environment.” said Delene Weber, one of the researchers. “Well-designed VR can provide a chance for children to apply newly-acquired knowledge, strengthen their learnt concepts, and enable immediate reaction—all incredibly valuable learning tools.”

Meanwhile, because children have fewer life experiences, aren’t as physically strong, and are less likely to have learned much about fire safety, they’re often most at risk. Yet the ability for children to contribute to fire safety at their household should not be underestimated (低估).

“Children do not need to be passively attacked by disasters and with purpose-built virtual reality experiences such as these, we can help children understand the risks and realize they can help,” said Weber.