土地開發過度
On July 3, a giant mudslide swept through the Izusan district in Atami, Shizuoka prefecture, after days of heavy rain amid the rainy season.
7月3日當天，降雨季連日豪雨導致日本靜岡縣熱海市伊豆山地區發生大規模土石流。
sweep(v.)橫掃
As of July 9, 9 deaths were reported and 21 people are still missing.
截至7月9日，罹難人數達到9人，21人仍下落不明。
missing(adj.)下落不明的;失蹤的
A search and rescue operation has been underway to look for survivors trapped beneath the rubble.
搜救行動仍在進行當中，以期救出受困於瓦礫堆下的幸存者。
rescue(n.)(v.)營救;拯救underway(adj.)正在發生或進行的=under waysurvivor(n.)幸存者survive(v.)倖存;存活trap(n.)陷阱(v.)設陷阱困住
Meanwhile, residents in three neighboring prefectures have been ordered to evacuate because of warnings of possible flooding in low-lying areas.
由於低窪地區可能發生洪水，當局也下令撤離鄰近縣市的居民。
order sb. to RV=命令某人做某事evacuate(v.)撤離;疏散flooding(n.)洪水
According to the government of Shizuoka, it is likely that the collapsed area is partly reclaimed land which makes it prone to landslides.
根據靜岡縣政府表示，崩落的土地可能是填土造地的部分土堆，因此好發土石流。
collapse(v.)(n.)坍塌;倒塌;崩潰;瓦解reclaim(v.)收回;索回;開拓;開墾reclaimed land=填土(海)再造的土地be prone to sth.=容易遭受…
However, further examination is needed to determine if the mound of soil was the primary cause of the disaster.
不過當局需要進一步調查以研判土堆是否為造成土石流的主因。
examination(n.)研究;調查primary(adj.)主要的;首要的
It is suggested that the solar complex and housing development on the upper reaches of that region were not the cause of the mudslide.
該地區上游的太陽能發電設施與房屋建設並非土地崩落的原因。
it is suggested that=間接表明…
Heita Kawakatsu, the governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, said that the rain soaked into the mountainside and loosened the ground which then slid down the slope.
靜岡縣知事川勝平太表示，雨水浸濕山坡以致土地鬆動，隨後從斜坡崩落。
soak(v.)浸泡;浸濕loosen(v.)使…變鬆loose(adj.)鬆的slide-slid-slid
On the other hand, Kunio Shiosaka, a geologist at Fuji Tokoha University, argued that it is the deforestation and land development that caused the mudslide to happen as there were no trees to take up rainwater and bind the soil.
不過另一方面，富士常葉大學地質學家塩邦雄則認為，砍伐森林與土地開發才是導致土石流的原因，因為沒有樹林吸收雨水與保持土壤。
on the other hand=另一方面(表對比)it is … that=強調句cause sth. to RV=導致某事…take up=吸收bind(v.)綑紮;鑲邊裝訂;黏合