Isilumkiso Esingathotyelwanga

NGOMEYI 18, 1980, iNtaba iSt. Helens kwelaseUnited States yabhodl’ int’ eyayikad’ iyiquve kangangeminyaka eli-123. Ngoko ugqabhuko-dubulo olunamandla lwavula umngxuma oziimitha ezingama-400 encotsheni yayo, lutshabalalisa ummandla omhle onokuba ngama-600 ezikwekhilomitha lwaza lwaqengq’ ugodo kubantu abangaphezu kwama-60.

Olu gqabhuko-dubulo aluzange lufike kungenziwanga silumkiso. Phantse iinyanga ezimbini kusengaphambili, kwenzeka inyikima yomhlaba enkulu kuloo mmandla, nezinye iinyikima ezingakumbi ezalandelayo ngesantya esandayo. NgoMatshi 27, le ntaba yaphuphuma into ende yothuthu nomphunga owaphakama kangangeemitha ezingama-6 400 emoyeni. Nangona le ntaba yakhe yathi zole kancinane ngoAprili, ukukhukhumala okuphawulekayo kwakuqhubeka kwicala elingasentla yaye kuqhubeka ngomlinganiselo ongangeesentimitha ezili-150.

Ngokwezazinzulu le miqondiso ngokucacileyo yayibonisa ugqabhuko-dubulo ekwakumbovu ukuba lwenzeke. Izilumkiso zakhutshwa khon’ ukuze abantu bashenxe ngasentabeni. Kodwa abaninzi abazange bazithobele izilumkiso.

UHarry Truman, ongumnini wendlu eseSpirit Lake kufutshane namazantsi ale ntaba, wala ukufuduka kule ndawo. Wayeneminyaka engama-50 ehlala apho yaye wayengakukholelwa ukuba intaba yakhe ayithandayo yayingaze iguqule inzolo yommandla awayekuwo. Abanye bephepha iindawo ezinamapolisa bahamba kwiindlela ezikude ezinezigodo zemithi ukuze baxhwarhe baze bondele le ntaba kwezi zigodo zazibonakala zikwimeko yoxolo.

Xa ugqabhuko-dubulo olukhulu Iwenzekayo, uthuthu neegesi ezitshisayo zaphokoka ziphuma entabeni ngezantya zama-320 eekhilomitha ngeyure! Izigidi zemithi yefir zagqumeleleka, yaye ubomi babantu abangathobeliyo batshayelwa. Bambi bafa beneekhamera emehlweni abo. I-12 leemitha zodaka olubilayo lwamngcwaba uMnu. Harry Truman nendlu yakhe.

Udaka olwaluphuphuma lwehlis’ intaba luhamba ngesantya seekhilomitha ezingama-80 ngeyure. Xa omnye umqhubi wenqwelo-ntaka walumkisa abantu ababesendleleni olu daka olwaluphuphumela kuyo, bambi bala ukunikel’ ingqalelo kumazwi akhe. Wathi: “Kwandimangalisa. Ndabaxelela ngento eyayisiza basuka nje bandihleka baza bandihesha.” Kungekudala emva koko amazinyo abo aba ziinyanda.

Oku kungavumi ukuzikholelwa izilumkiso ezithembekileyo akunto ingaqhelekanga, ngokukodwa xa ezi zidibene nentw’ ethile engazange ibonwe ngabantu ngokobuqu. Baqiqa ngelithi akukho nto iya kuguquka kuba izinto ezibajikelezileyo soloko zinjalo ukususela kwimihla yookhokho babo. Isimo sengqondo esinjalo siya kungqineka siyingozi ukuba sibangela ubani atyeshele isilumkiso samandulo seshwangusha elizayo eliya kulodlula lee ugqabhuko-dubulo lweNtaba iSt. Helens. Liliphi elo shwangusha? Yaye siyintoni isimo sakho sengqondo ngokubhekisele kweso silumkiso? Ngaba uya kusiheshela kude ungasikholelwa, okanye ngaba uyakuvuma ukusiphulaphula uze uphile? Khawubone oko kukwinqaku elilandelayo.

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 3]

H. Armstrong Roberts