Isixwayiso Esingalalelwanga

NGOMAY 18, 1980, ukuthula kweNtaba iSt. Helens eUnited States kweminyaka eyi-123 kwaphela. Ngalesosikhathi lokuqhuma okunamandla kwayiqhekeza ibanga elingamamitha angama-400 kusuka esiqongweni sayo, kwacekela phansi indawo enhle engamakhilomitha-skwele angama-600, futhi kwabulala abantu abangaphezu kwama-60.

Ukuqhuma akufikanga ngaphandle kwesixwayiso. Cishe ezinyangeni ezimbili kusengaphambili, ukuzamazama okukhulu komhlaba kwenzeka kulendawo, kwalandelwa ukuzamazama komhlaba okwengeziwe ngezinga elikhulayo. NgoMarch 27, intaba yakhipha inqwaba yomlotha nesisi esakhuphuka amakhilomitha ayi-6.4 emoyeni. Nakuba cishe lentaba yayisipholile ngoApril, uhlangothi olungasenyakatho lwaluvokomala ngokuphawulekayo futhi lwalukhula ngesilinganiso samamitha angu-1.5 ngosuku.

Ngososayensi lezimpawu zazibonisa ngokusobala ukuqhuma okwakusondela. Kwakhishwa izixwayiso zokuba abantu basuke entabeni. Kodwa abaningi abazilalelanga lezixwayiso.

UHarry Truman, umnikazi wendlu ethile eSpirit Lake eduze nalapho kuqala khona intaba, wenqaba ukusuka. Wayesephile khona iminyaka engama-50 futhi wayengakholwa ukuthi intaba yakhe ethandekayo yayiyoshintsha ukuthula kwalokho okumzungezile. Abanye bahamba ngezimoto phakathi kwamaphoyisa omgwaqo emigwaqweni esemahlanzeni enezingodo ukuze bakanise emahlathini anokuthula kwenkohliso bese bebuka intaba.

Lapho kufika ukuqhuma okukhulu, umlotha namagesi ashisayo kwadedeleka kusuka entabeni ngesivinini samakhilomitha angama-322 ngehora! Izigidi zemithi yefir zagqibeka, futhi ukuphila kwabantu abangalaleli kwaphela. Abanye bafa besathwebula izithombe. Ubishi olubilayo olungamamitha ayi-12 lwamboza uHarry Truman kanye nendlu yakhe.

Ukukhukhula kobishi kwakusuka entabeni ngesivinini samakhilomitha angama-80 ngehora. Lapho omunye umshayeli wendiza exwayisa abantu ababesendleleni ngokukhukhula kobishi, abanye benqaba ukulalela amazwi akhe. Wathi: “Angizange ngikukholelwe. Ngabatshela ngalokho okwakuza kodwa bamane bahleka futhi bangiphunga.” Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho ukuhleka kwabo kwaphenduka ukutatazela.

Lokhu kwenqaba ukukholelwa izixwayiso ezithembekile akukhona okungavamile, ikakhulukazi uma ziphathelene nokuthile abantu abangakaze bahlangabezane nakho ngokomuntu siqu. Bacabanga ukuthi akukho okuyoshintsha ngoba izimo ezibazungezile ziye zaqhubeka zifana kusukela ezinsukwini zokhokho babo. Isimo esinjalo sengqondo siyobonakala singesilimazayo uma sibangela ukuba umuntu angasishayi mkhuba isixwayiso sasendulo senhlekelele ezayo eyokudlula kude ukuqhuma kweNtaba iSt. Helens. Iyini leyonhlekelele? Futhi siyini isimo sakho sengqondo ngesixwayiso? Ingabe uyosishaya indiva ngokungakholelwa, noma ingabe uzimisele ukusilalela futhi uphile? Bheka lokho esiyikho esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Umthombo wesithombe ekhasini 3]

H. Armstrong Roberts