Tempête de sable sur Téhéran

3 Juin 2014 , Rédigé par Laurence B Publié dans #Environnement

Tehran sandstorm* kills four people

Dozens* also injured* as freak* weather damages* property and leaves 50,000 homes without* electricity in Iranian capital

A sandstorm = une tempête de sable
A dozen = une douzaine
Injured = blessé
Freak = exceptionnel, inattendu, bizarre
To damage = abîmer, endommager
Without = sans

A huge* sandstorm and record winds has killed at least* four people in Tehran, plunging Iran's capital into darkness* during rush hour* and forcing thousands to run for cover*.
Huge = énorme, gigantesque
At least = au moins
Darkness = obscurité
Rush hour ) l’heure de pointe
To run for cover = se mettre aux abris

The freak weather struck* at 5.10pm local time, knocking down* trees and sweeping* debris across streets and into the windscreens* of cars.
To strike – I struck – struck = toucher, frapper
To knock down = faire tomber, abattre, démolir
To sweep = balayer, draguer, emporter
A windscreen = un pare-brise

State media reported 70-mile per* hour winds at the peak* of the disruption*.
70 mph = 120 km/h
The peak = sommet, pic, apogée
A disruption = une perturbation

Power supplies* were knocked out* in at least 50,000 homes, an electricity official said, and the weather smashed* windows and caused telecommunication towers to topple* and masonry* to fall off buildings.
Power supply = alimentation électrique
To knock out = couper
To smash = casser, briser, fracasser
To topple = basculer, s’effondrer, tomber
Masonry = maçonnerie (morceaux de mur)

Forecasters* initially warned* Tehran is to stay indoors*, shortly before* the ISNA news agency said the fatalities* had been caused by falling trees.
Forecaster = un météorologue (prévisionniste)
To warn = prévenir, mettre en garde
To stay indoors = rester à l’abri
Shortly before = peu de temps avant
The fatalities = les accidents mortels

Amin Saberinia, Iran's chief emergency official, announced the deaths and said at least 27 people were injured, 10 of them in a road accident when the gloom* suddenly descended.
The gloom = obscurité, ténèbres

State television later* reported that two of those injured in the storm were in critical condition.
Later = plus tard

"This is like an apocalyptic Hollywood movie," a woman running into a shop in the capital's central business district to escape the gales* told a reporter seconds after the storm hit.
The gales = les rafales de vent

A man inside the same* building said: "I've never seen anything like this. I was afraid it was an omen* of things to come."
The same = le même
An omen = un présage, un augure

Almost 7,000 emergency workers were deployed within the hour*, city officials said, and Ahad Vazifeh, in charge of government weather forecasts*, cautioned* of more bad weather lasting* into Wednesday.
Within the hour = dans l’heure
Weather forecasts = prévisions météo
To caution = avertir, mettre en garde
To last = durer

After a 15-minute blackout* caused by the initial force of the sandstorm hit, rains arrived with winds remaining* strong.
Blackout = l’obcurcissement
To remain = rester

Pictures* posted on social media showed a gigantic sand cloud* filling* the city's skyline*, before it turned dark and outside* temperatures plunged from 33C to 18C.
A picture = une photo
A cloud = un nuage
To fill = remplir
The skyline = la ligne d’horizon
Outside = dehors, à l’extérieur

theguardian.com, Monday 2 June 2014
AFP in Tehran