Izenzakalo Ezingavamile Nezethusayo Ngaphansi Kwembobo Ye-ozone
IZAKHAMUZI ezingu-125 000 zasePunta Arenas, idololobha laseChile eliseningizimu impela, sekuyisikhathi eside zenza amahlaya ngokuthi ziphila “ekupheleni kwezwe.” Kodwa ukugqashuka kwesenzakalo esingavamile nesethusayo ngonyaka odlule kwenza lelihlaya libe elingokoqobo kakhulu. Ezinye izazi zesayensi seziqala ukucabanga ukuthi kungenzeka kukhona “okuthile okusha ngaphansi kwelanga lapha.” Isihloko esathunyelelwa i-Wall Street Journal, ka-January 12, 1993, sinikeza imininingwane ethile.
UFelix Zamorano, ilungu le-Atmospheric Studies Group eYunivesithi yakuleyondawo yaseMagallanes, uyabika: “Ngo-October, saloba amazinga e-ozone asesilinganisweni esiphansi kakhulu kunake alotshwa. Ungqimba lwe-ozone lwancipha lwaba cishe ingxenye yalokho okuvamile ezinsukwini ezintathu futhi lwehla lwadlula nakulokho okubhekwa njengamazinga ayingozi.” Imiphumela yemisebe eyandayo ye-ultraviolet engena ngembobo esongqimbeni lwe-ozone “ihlanganisa umdlavuza wesikhumba nama-cataract, kanye nenkinga ezitshalweni zasolwandle ezintantayo, esisekelweni sesimiso sokuziphilisa kwezilwane zasemanzini ngokudla ezinye,” kusho le-Journal.
Ngonyaka odlule “ingxenye yomhlambi kaRadovan Vilicic wezinkomo ezingu-1 200 yaphumputhekiswa kakhulu i-conjunctivitis kangangokuthi zashayisana njengezinqodlana zokungcebeleka ezishayisanayo, futhi eziyisihlanu zabulawa indlala ngoba zingakwazanga ukuthola ukudla kwazo.”
Lesihloko esathunyelelwa i-Journal siyaqhubeka: “UJose Bahamonde ulandisa indaba efanayo. Lapho usepulazini lakhe, eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-125 ukusuka lapha, ibonakala kahle iNsungubezi yaseMagellan, kodwa eziningi zezimvu zakhe ezingu-4 300 aziyiboni yona, nanoma yini enye. Cishe ezingamaphesenti ayishumi zelashwa izifo zamehlo, futhi ezingu-200 emhlambini wakhe zaba izimpumputhe ngonyaka odlule.”
Isazi sesikhumba uJaime Abarca sigomela ngokuthi “okwenzekayo lapha kungokuthile okusha ngokuphelele emhlabeni. Kungokungavamile njengokungathi kwehle izakhamuzi zaseMars.” Ubona iziguli eziningi ngokwengeziwe ezinezinkinga zesikhumba, iziguli ezishiswe ilanga ziye zanda ngokuphawulekayo, futhi izinga leziguli ezintsha ezinomdlavuza wesikhumba owumdlavuza oyingozi kakhulu okuthiwa i-melanoma lidlula elivamile kahlanu. Ngokwakhe uyaqiniseka ukuthi lokhu kuhlobene nemisebe eyandayo ye-ultraviolet.
Izakhamuzi zasePunta Arenas zikuthathela izinyathelo eziqatha. Elinye ikhemisi lathengisa amaphesenti angu-40 engeziwe ezinto zokuzivikela elangeni kunangonyaka odlule. Kukhona inkonzo yezocingo emayelana nokushiswa ilanga enikeza amazinga emisebe ye-ultraviolet. Iziteshi zomsakazo ezintathu zendawo nazo ziyawasakaza. Izikole zitshela abafundi ukuba bafake izigqoko, bagcobe okokuzivikela elangeni, bagqoke nezibuko zelanga. Kwesinye isitolo, ukuthengwa kwezibuko zelanga kwanyuka ngamaphesenti angu-30. Futhi “omunye umnini-pulazi wakuleyondawo uzama ukuklama izibuko zelanga zezimvu.”
Umbusi uScarpa uthi: “Angiwaphiki lamaqiniso. . . . Yini enifuna ukuyenza? Asikwazi ukufaka sonke lesifunda ngaphansi kophahla.”