Ngo-1943 idolobha laseSan Juan langcwatshwa yiParicutín lava, intaba-mlilo encane kunazo zonke emhlabeni. Uyamazi?
Ngesikhathi ngiseyingane ngathola ukuzwa izindaba ngokuzalwa kwentaba-mlilo phakathi nensimu yommbila; ekuqhumeni okwabhidliza idolobha laseSan Juan (manje eyiSan Juan Quemado), nasemlotheni owafika eMexico City. Yile ndlela engathola ngayo isithakazelo kuye I-Paricutin, futhi yize ngaleyo minyaka ngangingenalo ithuba lokuhlangana naye, akukaze kushiye umqondo wami ukuthi ngike ngiye.
Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, ngenxa yezizathu zomsebenzi, ngaba nethuba lokuthatha amaqembu amabili abavakashi baseMelika ababefuna ukuhamba ngendawo yentaba-mlilo futhi, uma izimo zivuma, ngiyinyuke.
Isikhathi sokuqala engaya ngaso, kwakunzima kancane kithi ukufika edolobheni lapho iParicutín ivakashelwa khona: i-Angahuan. Imigwaqo yayingakhonkiwe futhi idolobha lalingakhulumi neze iSpanishi (ngisho namanje izakhamuzi zalo zikhuluma kakhulu iPurépecha, ulimi lwabo lwendabuko, kunezinye izilimi; empeleni, baqamba intaba-mlilo edumile ngokuqondene negama layo elithi Purépecha: Parikutini).
Lapho sise-Angahuan saqasha izinsizakalo zomqondisi wendawo kanye namahhashi ambalwa, futhi saqala uhambo. Kusithathe cishe ihora ukufika lapho ayekhona idolobha laseSan Juan, eyangcwatshwa ukuqhuma ngo-1943. Itholakala cishe onqenqemeni lwensimu yodaka futhi okuwukuphela kwento esele ibonakala kule ndawo ingaphambili lesonto ngombhoshongo owahlala unganyakazi, ingxenye yombhoshongo wesibili, nawo ovela ngaphambili, kepha okuwile, nangemuva kwalo, lapho i-atrium ibikhona, nayo esindisiwe.
Umqondisi wendawo wasitshela ezinye izindaba zokuqhuma, isonto nabo bonke abantu abafa kulo. Abanye baseMelika bahlabeka umxhwele kakhulu ngokubuka kwentaba-mlilo, inhlabathi yodaka lwentaba-mlilo kanye nombukwane omubi wezinsalela zaleli bandla ezisasele.
Kamuva, umqondisi wasitshela ngendawo lapho udaka okufanele lusagobhoza khona; Usibuze ukuthi singathanda yini ukumvakashela futhi savuma ngokushesha. Wasiholela ezindleleni ezincane ezinqamula ehlathini wase edabula iscree saze safika endaweni. Umbukwane ubumuhle: phakathi kwemifantu ethile emadwaleni kuphume ukushisa okunamandla nokwomile, kangangoba besingakwazi ukuma sisondelene nabo ngoba sizizwa sisha, futhi yize udaka belungabonwa, bekungangabazeki ukuthi ngaphansi umhlaba, wawulokhu usebenza. Siqhubeke nokuzula kulesi scree kuze kube yilapho umqondisi esiholela esikhungweni se-volcanic cone, kulokho obekungakwesokunene salo okubonwe kusuka ku-Angahuan, futhi emahoreni ambalwa besiphezulu.
Okwesibili lapho ngenyukela eParicutín, ngangihamba neqembu labantu baseMelika, kuhlanganise nowesifazane oneminyaka engama-70.
Saphinda futhi saqasha umqondisi wendawo, engagcizelela kuye ukuthi ngidinga ukuthola indlela elula yokuqwala intaba-mlilo ngenxa yeminyaka yale ntokazi. Sahamba cishe amahora amabili emigwaqweni ewubhuqu embozwe umlotha wentaba-mlilo, okwasenza sabhajwa izikhathi ezimbalwa ngoba imoto yethu yayingenawo amasondo amane. Ekugcineni, safika sivela ohlangothini olungemuva (olubonwa luvela e-Angahuan), eduze kakhulu kwesigaxa sentaba-mlilo. Siwele insimu yodaka eyethuswe ihora elilodwa futhi saqala ukugibela indlela ebhalwe kahle. Ngaphansi nje kwehora sifike emgodini. Owesifazane oneminyaka engama-70 ubenamandla kunalokho ebesicabanga futhi akabanga nankinga, nasekukhuphukeni noma ekubuyeni lapho besishiye khona imoto.
Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, lapho ngikhuluma nabantu baseMexico abangaziwa ngokubhala udaba olumayelana nokukhuphukela eParicutín, ngenza isiqiniseko sokuthi izithombe zami zakudala zendawo zazingakulungele ukushicilelwa; Ngakho-ke, ngashayela engangisebenza naye, u-Enrique Salazar, futhi ngasikisela ukwenyuka kwentaba-mlilo iParicutín. Wayekade njalo efuna ukuyilayisha, futhi ejabule ngochungechunge lwezindaba ayezizwile ngaye, ngakho-ke sahamba saya eMichoacán.
Kungimangazile uchungechunge lwezinguquko ezenzekile endaweni.
Phakathi kokunye, umgwaqo ongamakhilomitha angama-21 oya e-Angahuan manje usuyitiyela, ngakho-ke kwakulula kakhulu ukufika lapho. Izakhamizi zakule ndawo ziyaqhubeka nokunikela ngezinsizakalo zazo njengezinkombandlela futhi yize besingathanda ukuthi sikwazi ukunika othile lo msebenzi, besishoda kakhulu ngemithombo yezomnotho. Manje kunehhotela elihle ekugcineni kwedolobha lase-Angahuan, elinamakamelo nezindawo zokudlela, elinolwazi ngokuqhuma kweParicutín (izithombe eziningi, njll.). Kolunye lwezindonga zale ndawo kunomdwebo omibalabala futhi omuhle omele ukuzalwa kwentaba-mlilo.
Siqale uhambo futhi kungekudala safika emanxiweni esonto. Sinqume ukuqhubeka nokuzama ukufinyelela emgodini wokulala ukuze silale ubusuku emgqeni. Sasinamalitha amabili kuphela amanzi, ubisi oluncane namagobolondo wesinkwa ambalwa. Ngamangala lapho ngithola ukuthi u-Enrique wayengenaso isikhwama sokulala, kodwa wathi leyo akuyona inkinga enkulu.
Sithathe isinqumo sokuthatha umzila kamuva esiwubize nge- "Vía de los Tarados", obekubandakanya ukungahambi ngendlela, kepha ukweqa iscree, esingamakhilomitha ayi-10 ubude, siye ezansi kwesigaxa bese sizama ukukhuphuka ngaso ngqo. Siwele ihlathi okuwukuphela kwalo phakathi kwesonto nesigaxa saqala ukuhamba phezu kolwandle olunamatshe abukhali futhi axegayo. Kwesinye isikhathi kwakudingeka sikhuphuke, sicishe sikhuphuke, amabhlogo amakhulu amatshe futhi ngendlela efanayo kwakufanele siwehlise ukusuka kolunye uhlangothi. Sikwenze ngakho konke ukuqaphela ukugwema ukulimala, ngoba ukushiya lapha ngonyawo oluminyene noma iyiphi enye ingozi, noma ngabe incane kanjani, bekuzoba buhlungu kakhulu futhi kube nzima. Siwa izikhathi ezimbalwa; amanye amabhulokhi esinyathele kuwo ahamba futhi elinye lawo lawela emlenzeni wami futhi lasikeka ku-shin wami.
Safika emsakazweni wokuqala we-steam, owawuningi futhi ungenaphunga futhi, kuze kube sezingeni, bekumnandi ukuzwa imfudumalo. Buqamama sasikwazi ukubona ezinye izindawo lapho amatshe, ngokuvamile amnyama, ayembozwa ngongqimba omhlophe. Uma ukude zazibukeka njengosawoti, kodwa lapho sifika esigabeni sokuqala salezi, samangala ukuthi okwakuzimbozile kwakuwuhlobo lwesendlalelo sesibabule. Kuphume nokushisa okukhulu phakathi kwemifantu kanti namatshe abeshisa kakhulu.
Ekugcineni, ngemuva kwamahora amathathu nengxenye silwa namatshe, safika ezansi kwesigaxa. Ilanga lase lishonile, ngakho sanquma ukusheshisa. Sikhuphukele engxenyeni yokuqala yesigaxa ngqo, ebesilula kakhulu ngoba indawo, yize imqansa impela, iqinile kakhulu. Sifika endaweni lapho kuhlangana khona i-caldera yesibili nesigaxa esikhulu bese sithola indlela enhle eholela emaphethelweni wentaba. I-boiler yesibili ikhipha intuthu nenani elikhulu lokushisa okomile. Ngaphezulu kwalokhu yisigaxa esikhulu esigcwele izitshalo ezincane ezikunika ukubukeka okuhle kakhulu. Lapha indlela igudla amazombe kathathu iya emgodini futhi imqansela impela futhi igcwele amadwala nesihlabathi, kepha akunzima. Safika emgodini cishe ebusuku; sijabulela ubuhle bendawo, siphuza amanzi bese silungiselela ukulala.
U-Enrique wagqoka zonke izimpahla azilethile futhi ngakhululeka kakhulu esikhwameni sokulala. Sivuse amazwi amaningi ebusuku ngenxa yokoma - besesiqedile ukunikezela kwethu ngamanzi - kanye nomoya onamandla ovunguza kwesinye isikhathi. Sivuka ngaphambi kokuphuma kwelanga futhi sijabulele ukuphuma okuhle kwelanga. Le crater inezimphunga eziningi futhi umhlabathi uyashisa, mhlawumbe yingakho u-Enrique engazange abande kakhulu.
Sithathe isinqumo sokuzungeza umgodi, ngakho-ke saya kwesokudla (ukubona intaba-mlilo kusuka ngaphambili usuka e-Angahuan), kuthe cishe emizuzwini eyi-10 safinyelela esiphambanweni esibonisa ingqungquthela ephakeme kakhulu enokuphakama okungu-2 810 m asl. Ukube besilethe ukudla, besingakupheka ngaphezu kwakho, ngoba bekushisa kakhulu.
Siqhubeka nohambo lwethu lokuzungeza umgodi size sifinyelele ohlangothini olungezansi lwawo. Lapha kukhona nesiphambano esincane, noqwembe lokukhumbula idolobha elanyamalala laseSan Juan Quemado.
Ngemuva kwesigamu sehora safika ekamu lethu, saqoqa izinto zethu saqala ukwehla. Silandela ama-zigzags siye kwisigaxa sesibili futhi lapha, ngenhlanhla kithina, sithola indlela emakwe kahle esisekelweni sesigaxa. Ukusuka lapho le ndlela ingena esikhungweni futhi iba nzima ukulandela. Izikhathi eziningi bekufanele siyifune ezinhlangothini bese sibuyele emuva kancane ukuyisusa ngoba besingajabule kakhulu ngomqondo wokuphinda siwele lesi sikwele njengeziwula. Ngemva kwamahora amane, safika edolobheni lase-Angahuan. Sangena emotweni sabuyela eMexico City.
I-Paricutín ngokuqinisekile ingenye yezintaba ezinhle kakhulu esinazo eMexico. Ngeshwa abantu abayivakashelayo balahle udoti omangalisayo. Eqinisweni, angikaze ngiyibone indawo engcolile; abantu bendawo bathengisa amazambane neziphuzo ezibandayo onqenqemeni lwe-scree, eduze kakhulu kwesonto elibhujisiwe, kanti abantu baphonsa izikhwama zamaphepha, amabhodlela nokunye kuyo yonke indawo. Kuyadabukisa ukungazigcini izindawo zethu zemvelo ngendlela eyanele. Ukuvakashela intaba-mlilo iParicutín kungokuhlangenwe nakho impela, kokubili ngenxa yobuhle bayo nangenxa yalokho okukushoyo ngokuma komhlaba wezwe lethu. IParicutín, ngenxa yokuzalwa kwayo muva nje, okusho ukuthi, ukusuka ku-zero kuye njengoba sazi manje, kubhekwa njengesinye sezimangaliso zemvelo zomhlaba. Sizoma nini ukucekela phansi ingcebo yethu?
UMA UYA KU-PARICUTÍN
Thatha umgwaqo omkhulu ongu-14 osuka eMorelia uye eUruapan (110 km). Lapho usufikile, thatha umgwaqo u-37 ubheke eParacho futhi ngaphambi kokufika eCapácuaro (18 km) jikela ngakwesokudla ubheke e-Angahuan (19 km).
E-Angahuan uzothola zonke izinsizakalo futhi ungaxhumana nabaqondisi abazokuyisa e-volcano.
