2014 – August
Jackson and Van Niekerk couldn’t have picked a less opportune time to leave their offices. As the engineers rode the lift to the Chief Engineer’s floor, the instruments measuring the Robben Island tremors became more and more frenetic, and an earthquake alarm began to sound.
The Koeburg Nuclear Power Station’s Disaster Management Team, in their office slightly removed from the main building, took no notice of the one flashing orange bulb in their bank of instruments. Their equipment showed that the tremors posed no danger to the plant or any of it’s equipment. Yet.
On Robben Island, a tour group was just finishing their excursion and boarding the boat to take them back to Cape Town when the ground began shaking beneath their feet.
“It’s an EARTHQUAKE!” screamed one of the American tourists.
“They don’t get earthquakes in Africa honey, this is just a tremor” this from her husband
As they spoke the tremors became more and more violent, the boat began smashing into the jetty and straining against it’s moorings- rocked by the choppy water and the increasing instability of the land
“People, keep calm! We need to get on board now!” shouted the Boat’s Captain – a 30 year veteran of the Atlantic- who almost managed to keep the panic out of his voice.
“Now!”
The tourists surged forward as one, panicking and shoving from behind. The shaking, the waves and the screams of agonized wood became deafening as all twenty people tried to pile into the boat at the same time.
The ground suddenly lurched upwards, causing a handful of people to pitch head-first into the boat, and the captain decided then and there that it was time to shove off. Amidst the shouts of pain and fright, ominous rumbling and crashing waves, he managed to get his crew to start the engines and turn the prow towards the Mother City.
Unfortunately, he was too late.
End Part 2
Revolutionary Throwback 