中国台湾地区周二晚间发生强烈地震，造成至少7人死亡，一些建筑倾斜，几近倒塌。
The U.S. Geological Survey said the 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit around the middle of the night local time near the coastal city of Hualien. Search and rescue operations continued in an effort to save dozens of people missing.
美国地质调查局表示，当地时间午夜前后海滨城市花莲市附近发生了这场6.4级的地震。搜救行动仍在继续，以便营救数十名失踪人口。
Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen visited the damaged areas. She promised that every effort would be made to rescue survivors. At least 260 people were reported injured and more than 80 are missing.
台湾地区行政长官蔡英文视察了受灾地区。她承诺全力救援幸存者。据报道至少有260人受伤，还有80多人失踪。
The earthquake split some roads in half and left about 40,000 homes without water. Nearly 2,000 others did not have electricity.
地震将一些道路一分为二，并导致4万多个家庭缺水，还有2000多个家庭停电。
Some of the most powerful pictures and video of the disaster showed high-rise buildings tilting heavily after the earthquake.
一些受灾最严重的照片和录像显示，高楼大厦在震后都倾斜了。
Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Center said rescue efforts in one area were briefly halted over safety concerns. One residential building continued to lean towards collapse causing rescuers to stop their efforts.
台湾中央应急行动中心表示，某个地区的救援行动出于安全原因暂时中止。一栋住宅楼仍倾向于倒塌，迫使救援人员停止了工作。
Rescue workers put up steel beams against the building in an effort to prevent it from completely collapsing. Large concrete blocks were also placed against the beams for added support.
救援人员在这栋建筑上架上了钢梁，以防止其完全彻底倒塌。钢梁上还堆放了大型混凝土块以提高支撑。
The building was among at least four in the area that sank and shifted because of the earthquake. Experts say the shifts were likely caused by soil liquefaction. This process can cause the ground underneath a building to lose its solidity under great physical stress.
这栋建筑至少跨越了四个因为地震而发生沉降和移动的区域。专家表示，这种移动可能是因为土壤液化造成的。这一过程可能会导致建筑物下的大地在巨大的物理压力下失去其坚固性。
Shifting destroyed the lower floors of several buildings, forcing rescue workers to enter windows to reach people trapped inside.
这种移动破坏了几栋建筑物的低楼层，迫使救援人员从窗户进去救援被困人员。
Hualien prosecutors said they had launched an investigation. They want to know about possible negligence in construction of buildings that collapsed or tilted from the earthquake, the Taipei Times reported.
花莲市检察官表示，他们已经展开了调查。据台北时报报道，他们希望了解建筑物在地震中倒塌或倾斜可能存在的失职行为。
Government officials are seeking building records and said they would question companies in the buildings' planning and construction. The investigation will look into whether shortcuts were taken, if poor building materials were used and whether all government rules were followed.
政府官员正在查找建造记录，并表示，他们会质询这些建筑物的规划和建设单位，调查这些建筑是否存在简化，是否采用了劣质建筑材料，是否遵守了所有政府规定。
Taiwan sits in a very seismically active area known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. Earthquakes regularly strike the area.
台湾坐落于太平洋火环这个地震活跃地带，该地区经常会发生地震。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
我是布莱恩·林恩。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，禁止转载，违者必究！)(51VOA.COM原创翻译，请勿转载，违者必究！)