SA, Hail bucketed down…

So glad that our Sunshiny South African weather has returned to normalcy as last week, South Africans suffered  severe deluges when the rains turned vicious.

The light downpour turned into heavy hail which had me scrambling to prevent my little car  from damage. Needless to say, I was drenched and shivering… So much so, that I almost turned blue… An unusual sight for an Indian like me…

Initial wonder and light hearted humour, I was convinced that God was waving his magic wand to toss lightning below. At once stage, I could visualize him taking selfies amidst the electric sky. When the hail changed from white marbles to the size of golf balls, we reveled at the novelty of our Durban weather changing. A little person enquired as to why God had decided to rain ice cubes on us.

As the evening turned into morning, the day into days, the fear and worry for the safety of people and animals became paramount. The frenzied media sent out warnings, peppered with bulletins of cars being washed away. The local Whatsapp Crime Watch committee members warned of the dire consequences, beseeching the locals to maintain safe following distances on the slippery roads and others to remain safely indoors.

Alas, that was not to be as one elderly couple who did take shelter indoors had their little house fatally collapse on them.

Sadder still was the report from #AceNewsDesk which detailed the cyclone that hit Bangladesh.

To make matters worse here in SA, disaster management teams had to be dispatched to the Sleepy Hollow of Pietermaritzburg as a tornado ripped through the area, leaving behind scores of people hurt and, homes and other infrastructure severely damaged. Homes collapsed and many were left without family members, shelter and food despite the volunteers and councilors who rallied around to assist.

Meanwhile in Australia, the bush fires raged and even now, South Australia braces itself for record heat and fire danger tomorrow, with more than a 100 schools closing and residents being advised to leave their homes in search of safety.

As Mother Nature unleashes her fury, justified or not, it is advisable to remain vigilant, safe and endeavor to remember that nothing is guaranteed, we are but mere specks in the universe who will, however make an impact by being kinder, tolerant and loving to friends, family and all others that inhabit our environment.

Nothing is guaranteed, certainly not material possessions in times of distress and danger.