Ngaphambi nje kuka-11 ekuseni, lapho i-tsunami enkulu kubikezelwa ukuthi izofika ogwini lwaseHawaii, saphuma endlini yethu ngezinyawo, sahlangana nenqwaba yabanye abahamba ngezinyawo abangaphuthumi ngosuku olushisayo sikhuphuka umqansi siya e-Diamond Head Cliffs ebheke ulwandle. Kusukela ekubukeni kwethu okungamamitha angu-60, ulwandle lubonakale lunyakaza ngendlela engavamile esingakaze siyibone kusukela ngesixwayiso esifushane se-tsunami sango-September odlule ngemva kokuzamazama kwe-Samoa ne-tsunami. I-flotilla yobuciko bezempi neyokuzijabulisa yayichaphaze emanzini ajulile aluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ngaphesheya kolwandle, evezwe kumagagasi aphansi.
Kwaqhuma amagagasi avamile. Kwabonakala kunezingqimba ezimboza amakhorali futhi ehla, njengokungathi amagagasi ayesheshisiwe. Kwaba lokho. Ekupheleni kwasekuseni, kwacaca ukuthi sisengozini enkulu yamakhemikhali epulasitiki anobuthi angena emanzini asemabhodleleni kunamagagasi ashaywayo. Kungenzeka ukuthi iHawaii “ivimbe inhlamvu,” uCharles McCreery, njengoba umqondisi wePacific Tsunami Warning Center asho ezindabeni zethelevishini cishe ihora ngaphambi kokuba lesi sixwayiso sikhishwe ngo-1:38 ntambama, kodwa kwashiya abanye bethu benomuzwa wokuthi uhulumeni. futhi abezindaba babedonse esheshayo.
Yebo sasijabule kakhulu ukuphepha kunokuzisola. Kepha ngesikhathi kwakhiwa i-anticlimax, ukusabalala kwenhlekelele okuqinile bekunikeze izilinganiso zethelevishini namarejista emali ezitolo ezinkulu kanye nasezitolo ze-Waikiki. I-Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre ithole ukunakwa okukhulu. Thina sonke, esimeni lapho isimo sengqondo sokutshala izimali kanye nokuvakasha okupakishiwe sikhona ngisho nalapho amasimu ehluleka futhi evala futhi ezokuvakasha ziyanyakaza, sathola isikhumbuzo esiqinile sokuthi kufanele silalele iziphathimandla futhi silandele imiyalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iphikisana noma ingacacile.
Incwadi yocingo (akekho ongathola ulwazi ku-inthanethi, ngenxa yokuthi izingosi zokulungela izimo eziphuthumayo ziphahlazekile) lathi abantu abangaphandle kwezindawo zokuphuma ku-tsunami kufanele bahlale behlezi futhi bangashayeli bezulazula, okudala i-gridlock futhi kubambezeleke ukuhamba kwabantu.
Kodwa-ke, izinhlelo zezindaba zendawo zinxuse zonke izakhamuzi ukuthi zibeke ukudla okwanele namanzi ukuze kuhlale izinsuku ezingu-7 uma kwenzeka ukucima kukagesi kanye nokugcinwa kwendle, ngakho-ke wonke umuntu ushaya emigwaqweni, ehlanganisa imigqa phezulu kwamathangi abo kagesi, futhi.
Kwakukude necala lokuthi wonke umuntu kufanele athuke aphume e-Waikiki, noma ahlale futhi a-ode inkonzo yasekamelweni emakamelweni abo. Ngokusho kwamamephu okulungiselela inhlekelele yebhuku locingo, zonke izihambeli zehhotela le-Waikiki kanye nabasebenzi obekufanele bakwenze, ukuze bashiye indawo yokuphuma, bekuwukuwela i-Kalakaua Ave ukusuka olwandle ukuya ohlangothini lwentaba lomgwaqo. Isibonelo, usebe lolwandle u-Sheraton Moana Surfrider utshele izivakashi zakhona ukuthi zithuthele emabhilidini aphakeme ngaphesheya komgwaqo.
Kuyiqiniso ukuthi i-Moana kanye ne-Royal Hawaiian, amahhotela amabili amahle kakhulu emanzini e-Waikiki, nawo amadala kunawo wonke, aqala ngawo-1930, enziwe ngohlaka lwamapulangwe kanye ne-stucco, ngokulandelana, esikhundleni sensimbi kanye nokhonkolo oqinisiwe okucatshangwa ukuthi uyakwazi. ukumelana nomthelela we-tsunami kanye nezikhukhula.
Kodwa amahhotela awakahlolwa ngama-tsunami, ngokusobala, futhi ngeke sicabange ukuthi, esimweni esidume kabi ngenkohlakalo, wonke umakhi waseHawaii ulandela ikhodi. Kuyizwe elibhekene nezimboni zamasosha kanye nezokungcebeleka, ezihlale zijaha ukuthuthukiswa, nge-Las Vegas wannabe complex eholela izishayamthetho ezigcwele ama-lobbyist ukuthi ziphakamise njalo ukugembula okusemthethweni naphezu kokuphikiswa okukhulu kwendawo.
Ntambama, umsebenzi we-spin wawusuqediwe, ngokusho kukaJim Mendoza we-KHNL TV: “Ngokwakho konke, amahhotela e-Waikiki enze umsebenzi omuhle wokuxwayisa izivakashi ekuseni kakhulu ngokuthi kungenzeka kube ne-tsunami.” Ihange laphetha ingxenye ngokunqekuzisa ikhanda nokumamatheka: “I-Waikiki ibuyile ebhizinisini.” Bekuwumbukiso omuhle futhi izivakashi zingazizwa zanelisekile ngokuthi zidlale indima yangempela.
Ekugcineni, usuku lwethu lokulungela izimo eziphuthumayo luzizwe njengenye indali yosuku olulodwa.
