Indlela Izisulu Zokuzamazama Komhlaba Ezasizwa Ngayo
NGOMAY 23, 1992, iDesert Sun yasePalm Springs, eCalifornia, eU.S.A., yabika “lokho okungenziwa ukundindizela okwesabekayo kokuzamazama komhlaba okungu-7,5 eCoachella Valley.” Yathi: “Lomonakalo ungaba yinhlekelele. Kolunye uchungechunge olucatshangelwayo lwezenzakalo ezimbi kunazo zonke olwalungiselelwa ukuhlola kukahulumeni, ukuzamazama komhlaba:
• Kubulala abantu abangu-5 000
• Kulimaza abanye abangu-15 000
• Kushiya abangu-50 000 bengenamakhaya.”
Ngokumangalisayo, ngeSonto, ngoJune 28—emasontweni ambalwa nje kamuva—ukuzamazama komhlaba okungu-7,5 esikalini sikaRichter kwanyakazisa lendawo! Kodwa kwakugxile eduze kwamadolobhana asogwadule lwaseLanders naseYucca Valley, amakhilomitha angu-60 kuya kwangu-100 kusukela emadolobheni amakhulu aseCoachella Valley. Kunoma iyiphi indawo emhlabeni akukho ukuzamazama komhlaba okwakuye kwaba namandla ngaphezu kwalokhu phakathi nonyaka. Futhi eCalifornia, izwe elaziwa ngokuzamazama kwalo komhlaba, kuthathu kuphela phakathi nalelikhulu leminyaka okwakubenamandla kakhulu.
Ukuzamazama komhlaba okungenamandla kakhulu kuye kwabulala izinkulungwane. EArmenia, kwafa abangu-55 000 ngo-1988 ekuzamazameni komhlaba okungu-6,8, futhi ngo-1972 okunye okwakunesilinganiso esingu-6,2 kwenza inhloko-dolobha yaseNicaragua, iManagua, yaba incithakalo, kubulala abangaphezu kuka-5 000. Ukuzamazama komhlaba kwaseCalifornia kwakunamandla kakhulu izikhathi eziphindwe kaningi, njengoba inombolo ngayinye esikalini sikaRichter imelela ukuzamazama komhlaba okunamandla ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyishumi ngaphezu kokunye kwesilinganiso esilandelayo esingaphansi. Ngakho, ukuzamazama komhlaba okunesilinganiso esingu-7,5 kunamandla ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyishumi kunesingu-6,5.
Yiziphi izinkubela nomonakalo okwabangelwa ukuzamazama okukhulu kwaseCalifornia? Izisulu zathinteka kanjani, futhi zasizwa kanjani?
Isikhathi Sasekuseni Esesabekayo
NgoMgqibelo ebusuku, ngoJune 27, umhlaba ondindizelayo wabangela izakhamuzi ezithile zaseLanders ukuba zilale ngaphandle. Lokhu kuzamazama komhlaba kwethusa kakhulu uKelsey Tharp oneminyaka eyisikhombisa ubudala nomfowabo oneminyaka emine ubudala kangangokuba bavunyelwa ukuba balale ekamelweni labazali babo. Unina wathi: “NgeSonto, ngo-4:58 ekuseni, umsindo ofana nowesitimela esithwala izimpahla wahlokoma kulo lonke ikhaya lethu. Ngashaywa yisibani esasiwa ekhanda; futhi umyeni wami waphonseka ngaphandle kombhede. Kwakunjengokungathi ikhaya lethu lalisemshinini omkhulukazi wokuthosa amapopcorn. Yonke into yayinyakaza.”
URoger Terfehr, ohlala endaweni eqhele ngamakhilomitha ambalwa, wachaza: “Kwakubonakala sengathi isilwane esikhulu esesabekayo sasingaphansi kwendlu yethu futhi sasibambe izisekelo, sizinyakazisa ngobudlova. Indlu yonke yayiklekleza futhi intengantenga. Konke kwakuphahlazeka ngakuzo zonke izinhlangothi zethu! Lokhu kuzamazama kwakubonakala kuqhubeka ngokungenakunqamuka, nakuba kamuva satshelwa ukuthi ukuzamazama okukhulu kwakuthathe imizuzwana engu-32 kuphela.”
Ngaphambi kokuba kuntwele ngaleloSonto ekuseni, uTerry Bogart wayesendleleni eyosiza emsebenzini wokwakha eHholo LoMhlangano LoFakazi BakaJehova. “Okokuqala ngangicabanga ukuthi kukhona okungalungile ngeloli lami. Lapho ngima, iloli lalinyakaza ngokoqobo. Izintambo zikagesi zazintengantenga, namatransformer ayeqhuma.
“Ngabona ukuthi kwakufanele ngibuyele emuva kumkami namadodakazi ami. Emgwaqweni omkhulu i-247, ngafika kwezinye izindawo lapho umgwaqo wawonakele khona cishe ibanga [elingangemitha]. Lapho ngima ukuze ngikhanyise, kwafika intokazi ehamba ngemoto inengane yayo. Yabuza ukuthi sasinjani isimo semigwaqo phambili. Njengoba yayigqoke ingutshana egqokwa endlini, yayibonakala ishaqekile. Ngasikisela ukuba ingilandele siye ekhaya lapho umkami ayinikeza khona izingubo ezithile kanye nokudla kwengane yayo.”
UFritz Grainer, umbonisi woFakazi BakaJehova, uyaphawula: “Wonke umuntu wayengaphandle lapho ukuzamazama komhlaba kwesibili kugadla, cishe amahora amathathu kuphela ngemva kokuzamazama kokuqala. Kwenzeka eduze neBig Bear, [amakhilomitha angaphezu kwangu-50] ukuya entshonalanga. Abanye bethu babesendlini yakwaBogart ngalesosikhathi. Umhlaba wawuhambisa okwamaza ngaphansi kwezinyawo zethu. Kamuva ngendlela eyihlaya lesisenzakalo sanikezwa igama elithi ukuhamba ngamaza ezwe.” Lokho kuzamazama komhlaba kwakunesilinganiso esingu-6,6.
Ngalesosikhathi, uWarren noErnestine Stoker, izakhamuzi zaseYucca Valley, babeseSt. Petersburg, eRussia, lapho kwase kuntambama kakhulu. Babesanda kubuya nje ehhotela labo ngemva kokuba bebe khona ezingxenyeni zokugcina zesimiso somhlangano woFakazi BakaJehova lapho bezwa ngalokhu kuzamazama komhlaba. Ngokushesha bavula iTV futhi babona imifanekiso yencithakalo eyayenzekile endaweni engaba ikhilomitha ukusuka esakhiweni sehhovisi abasebenza kuso eYucca Valley.
“Lapho sasisabuke ithelevishini,” uErnestine uyachaza, “kwagadla ukuzamazama komhlaba eBig Bear. Intatheli yabuza othile owayengavelanga kukhamera, ‘Ingabe manje ngingena ngaphansi kwedeski lami? Ingabe ngingaqhubeka nokuzamazama komhlaba [eLanders/Yucca Valley]?’” Ngokuqondakalayo, lombhanqwana wawukhathazekile ngenhlalakahle yabomkhaya nabangane kanye nempahla yabo emuva ekhaya.
Kwakungesona Isimo Esibi Kakhulu
Endaweni eqhele cishe ngamakhilomitha angu-1 600—eDenver, eColorado, naseBoise, eIdaho—kwabikwa ukunyakaza kwamanzi emadanyini okubhukuda. Abantu abangaphezu kwengxenye yesigidi bathintwa ukunqamuka kwamandla kagesi. Izakhiwo zadilika, oshimula bawa, umhlabathi ogebhukile wavimba imigwaqo emikhulu, futhi umhlaba waqhekeka. Idamu lokubhukuda lomunye umkhaya lagwinywa umhlabathi. Lalifana nomgodi obangelwe ukuqhuma kwebhomu.
Nokho, ngokuphawulekayo, kwafa umuntu oyedwa kuphela ekuzamazameni komhlaba, umfana oneminyaka emithathu ubudala owashaywa imfucumfucu yeziko elibhidlikayo lekhaya elithile laseYucca Valley. Kodwa abangaphezu kuka-400 balimala, futhi umonakalo wempahla wawungaba yizigidi zamaRandi ezingu-275. Konakala ingqikithi yezindlu ezingu-6 321, kuhlanganise nezingu-595 ezabhubha nezingu-2 119 ezaba nomonakalo omkhulu. EBandleni LoFakazi BakaJehova laseLanders, amakhaya emikhaya eyishumi onakala kabi kakhulu kangangokuba yayingenakuhlala kuwo. Eminye yayinomahamba-nendlwana eyathuthela kubo, futhi eminye yamenywa ukuba ihlale nawoFakazi ekanye nabo.
Yini eyenza ukuba inani labafa libe phansi ngokumangalisa kangaka? “Into eyinhloko,” kwaphawula uJohn Hall, unjiniyela eInstitute of Technology yaseCalifornia, “ukuthi yenzeka endaweni esankangala.” Futhi isazi sokuzamazama komhlaba seCaltech, uEgill Hauksson sathi: “Lapho ucabanga ngakho, ukuzamazama komhlaba akubabulali abantu. Yizakhiwo ezibulalayo. Futhi kunezakhiwo ezimbalwa ezinkulu kakhulu lapho.”
Esinye isizathu esibalulekile wukuthi izindlu kulendawo zakhiwe ngophahla lwezingodo. Ziyanyakaza futhi zitsheke lapho kuzamazama umhlaba futhi aziwi kalula, njengoba kuye kwenza ezinye izinhlobo zezakhiwo ngisho nasekuzamazameni komhlaba okuncane. Futhi, imithetho yokwakha eCalifornia iqinile, ngokwesibonelo, idinga ukuba izindlu ziboshelwe ezisekelweni zazo.
Nakuba kunjalo, lokuzamazama kwashiya amakhulu engenamakhaya nezinkulungwane zingenamanzi. Cishe esikhathini esingangesonto kamuva, abantu abangaba ngu-10 000 babengakabi nawo amanzi angena ngamapayipi ezindlini zabo. Yini eyenziwa ukuze kusizwe lezisulu?
Lokho OFakazi BakaJehova Abakwenza
Ngokushesha, njengoba kwase kuqala ukukhanya, ababonisi bamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova baphuma ukuze bahlole inhlala-kahle yabanye. Esikhathini esingangehora bonke abasemabandleni base befinyelelwe. Akekho owayelimale kabi. AmaHholo oMbuso amabili asendaweni ayelimele kodwa ayesesimweni esikahle.
Phakathi nesikhathi sasekuseni, kwase kwenziwe amalungiselelo okuletha amanzi okuphuza afakwe emabhodleleni. Kwasetshenzwa usuku lonke kwenziwa ukulungisa okuphuthumayo emapayipini kagesi anqamukile futhi kuhlolwa ukuthi obani abangenamakhaya. Nokho, ngisho nabanye ababenamakhaya ayesesesimweni esikahle balala ngaphandle phakathi nobusuku bangemva kokuzamazama komhlaba.
Emini ngoMsombuluko, kwakubekwe amalitha angu-23 000 amanzi ngeloli lamanzi eHholo LoMbuso laseLanders, kanye namalitha angu-3 800 amanzi okuphuza afakwe emabhodleleni. Lonke usuku lwasetshenziselwa ukuyisa amanzi kulabo ababewadinga. Kwatholwa ukuthi izindlu ezingu-47 zoFakazi zazonakele—ezingu-32 eLanders, ezingu-10 eYucca Valley, nezingu-5 eJoshua Tree. Phakathi nesonto, kwenziwa amalungiselelo okuba zilungiswe.
NgoMgqibelo, ngoJuly 4, kwakuwusuku olwalumiselwe lomsebenzi, futhi kwaziswa amabandla asendaweni. OFakazi bendawo benza amalungiselelo okondla izisebenzi. Kwaziswa amaphoyisa, njengoba imigwaqo yayisavaliwe. Ngakho lapho kufika uMgqibelo, amaphoyisa avumela oFakazi ukuba badlule lapho kwakuvinjwe khona izindlela.
Izisebenzi zokuzithandela ezingaphezu kuka-500 zatheleka emaHholo oMbuso aseLanders naseYucca Valley ekuseni kakhulu ngoMgqibelo. Lapho bathola izabelo zomsebenzi ezazihlanganisa ukulungiswa kukagesi, ukuxhunywa kwamapayipi, ukucoca umonakalo, kanye nokubeka izinqola eziguqulwe izindlu zokuhlala ukuze zilingane kahle ezisekelweni zazo.
Ngosuku olulandelayo ikhasi elingaphandle leSun yaseSan Bernardino lathi: “Endaweni yaseLanders, enomphakathi ongaba ngu-4 000, oFakazi bakaJehova baye bahola emsebenzini wokwakha kabusha.” Libika ngomunye wemisebenzi yokulungisa, leliphepha lathi: “Umsebenzi ekhaya leYunivesithi iBoulevard wabonakala njengomsebenzi wokwakha ophuthumayo. Izisebenzi ezingamashumi amabili nane zamisa izindonga ngokushesha, zakha iminyango futhi zafaka amapulangwe amasha. Konke lokhu kwakwenzelwa umkhaya wasebandleni owawaziwa izisebenzi zokuzithandela ezimbalwa. Kwakungenzi mahluko. Izindonga zaphakama futhi ukufakwa kwamapulangwe kwaqhubeka.”
Lapho izisebenzi zibuyela emaHholo oMbuso emini ukuze ziyokudla, kwatholakala ukuthi umsebenzi omningi emakhaya oFakazi wase uqediwe. Ngakho kwathintwana neziteshi zomsakazo iKCDZ neKROR, futhi zaqala ukwenza izimemezelo zokuthi noma ubani odinga usizo angashaya ucingo, futhi oFakazi BakaJehova bayolungisa umonakalo owenziwe ukuzamazama komhlaba mahhala.
Abaningi balucela usizo. Enye indoda yayidinga usizo ukuze ilungise idokodo layo lokugcina izimpahla kanye nefulaha lezinkuni. Idlanzana loFakazi lasabela. Bakhipha yonke into kulelidokodo, balihlanza, futhi babuyisela yonke into ngobunono. Lendoda yahlatshwa umxhwele kakhulu kangangokuba ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva ohlelweni lwengxoxo olwalukhishwe emsakazweni, yabonga oFakazi ngosizo lwabo.
Umbhangqwana woFakazi, uJim noDebbie Venoble, waphawula: “Uma kunenhlekelele, abantu bakusiza ekuqaleni, bese ngokushesha bekukhohlwa, kodwa akunjalo ngabafowethu nodadewethu abangamaKristu. Sekuphele amasonto amathathu manje, futhi baseza namanje ukuze babone ukuthi kusekhona yini esikudingayo. Safunda kulokhu okuhlangenwe nakho ukuthi izi-nto ezibonakalayo ezasilahlekela azisho lutho.”
USteve Porto waphawula: “Siye safunda okuningi kulokhu kuzamazama komhlaba nasezenzakalweni ezalandela ngemva kwakho. Uthando oluye lwaboniswa oFakazi esikanye nabo abeza ukuzosisiza luwubufakazi bokuthi ngempela siwubuzalwane bomhlaba wonke.”—Johane 13:34, 35.
Ukwethuka Kwakamuva Okucindezelayo
Emasontweni amaningi kamuva umhlaba kulendawo wazamazama ngokuphindaphindiwe futhi ngezinye izikhathi ngobudlova. Phakathi namasonto amathathu, kwakutholakale ukuzamazama okungaphezu kuka-5 000; okunye kwakunesilinganiso esingaphezu kuka-6 esikalini sikaRichter, okungu-11 kuphakathi kuka-5,0 no-5,9, futhi okungaphezu kuka-80 okungenani kungu-4,0.
Kwabikwa ukuthi ukuzamazama okungu-5,4 ngoJuly 8 kwasusa amakhaya angu-50 ezisekelweni zawo. “Kuyacindezela ngempela,” kwasho isisebenzi sezokwakha uRick Erickson. “Kunzima ukulala. Awazi noma indlu izokuwa yini noma cha.” Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa ngemva kokuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu, uBillie Bolton wathi: “Ngingase ngingaphindi ngingene endlini.” Ngempela, sekuphele inyanga ngemva kokuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu, abanye babesahlala emathendeni, besaba ukuhlala ezindlini.
AmaKristu aqaphela ukuzamazama komhlaba njengengxenye yesibonakaliso uJesu abikezela ukuthi sasiyophawula isiphelo salesimiso sezinto. Ngakho lapho ebona lokhu, kanye nezinye izinhlekelele eziningi ezabikezelwa, enza njengoba uJesu ayala: “Lulamani, niphakamise amakhanda enu, ngokuba kusondele ukukhululwa kwenu.”—Luka 21:28.
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
Kwaba nokuphakama komhlabathi okungamamitha angu-0,9 ngaphansi nje kwendlu egqumeni eLanders, eCalifornia. Amandla okuzamazama komhlaba aphakamisa futhi ahlukanisa phakathi itshe eliqinile
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Indlu eyathola igalelo lokuzamazama komhlaba esendaweni engamakhilomitha amathathu ukusuka enkundleni okwenzeka kuyo ukuzamazama komhlaba eYucca Valley, eCalifornia