UMary Allen
Iitropiki ngummandla othile emhlabeni otshisa kakhulu unyaka wonke. Oku kubhekiselele kwindawo esemantla nakumazantsi eikhweyitha. Lo ngumgca wentelekelelo ojikeleze umhlaba. Kweleenjiko kukho inxalenye yoMzantsi Merika, iAfrika, iAsia neOstreliya.
Kunzima ukutsho kanye ukuba yeyiphi imimandla equka iitropiki. Igama lesiGrike lithetha: "Indawo ephakathi kweetropiki ezimbini". Kulo mmandla, ilanga lithe nkqo phezu komhlaba ubuncinane usuku olunye ngonyaka, oko kukuthi “ngqo” kanye phezu kwentloko yomntu. Ipali yayingayi kuba sithunzi.
Zikho nezinye iindlela zokuchaza iitropiki nazo. Kwiitropiki, iintsuku ziphantse zilingane nobude bobusuku enyakeni. Zombini zikwashushu ngokufanayo. Ubude bazo abutshintshi njengobethu. Kwimimandla emininzi yetropiki, akukho mahluko mkhulu phakathi kwamaxesha onyaka. Kusehlotyeni apho unyaka wonke. Kukho ezinye iimpawu zetropiki. Ngoko ke akunakwenzeka ukuchaza ngokuthe ngqo ukuba indawo iseyeyeetropiki okanye hayi.
Injani kwiindawo ezitshisayo?
Kushushu kakhulu kwiindawo ezitshisayo. Nangona kunjalo, umthamo wemvula wahluke kakhulu. Kuxhomekeke kubungakanani bemvula, kukwakho neendawo ezahlukeneyo ezitshisayo: Ukuba inetha kangangeenyanga ezimbini ngonyaka, yintlango. Phantse akukho nto ikhula apho. Ukuba kuyanetha phakathi kweenyanga ezintathu nezisithoba zonyaka, yintlambo. Ingca, amatyholo, mhlawumbi nemithi ikhula apho. Ukuba kune imvula kangangeenyanga ezilishumi ngonyaka okanye nangaphezulu, amahlathi ashinyeneyo ayakhula.
Xa inetha iinyanga, kodwa hayi unyaka wonke, ibizwa ngokuba “lixesha lemvula.” Ngokomzekelo, i-Indiya inexesha lemvula ehlotyeni. Nangona indalo kunye nezolimo zixhomekeke kule mvula, inokubangela izikhukula ezinkulu kunye nomnye umonakalo.