Deadly flooding is hitting several countries at once. Scientists say this will only be more common

Schools in New Delhi were forced to close Monday after heavy monsoon rains battered the Indian capital, with landslides and flash floods killing at least 15 people over the last three days. Farther north, the overflowing Beas River swept vehicles downstream as it flooded neighborhoods. In Japan, torrential rain pounded the southwest, causing floods and mudslides that left two people dead and at least six others missing Monday. Local TV showed damaged houses in Fukuoka prefecture and muddy water from the swollen Yamakuni River appearing to threaten a bridge in the town of Yabakei. In Ulster County, in New York’s Hudson Valley and in Vermont, some said the flooding is the worst they’ve seen since Hurricane Irene’s devastation in 2011.

tips

monsoon：季风

batter：打击

landslide：山崩（slide 滑，雪崩，山崩）

torrential：倾泻的；雨水倾盆（torrent 奔流，倾盆大雨，滔滔不绝）

pound：英镑；重击

mudslide：塌方；泥石流

prefecture：地方管辖；县

prefect：地方行政长官

muddy：浑浊的（mud 泥浆）

devastation：毁坏