A Village Wired to a Volcano

Walking through the village later, Polly saw steam rising from cracks in the road, from drains, and from a big public pool glowing orange in the afternoon light. The same heat that cooked lunch runs under the whole village.

Akitembea kijijini baadaye, Polly aliona mvuke ukipanda kutoka nyufa barabarani, kutoka mifereji, na kutoka bwawa kubwa la umma lililong'aa rangi ya machungwa katika mwanga wa alasiri. Joto lile lile lililopika chakula cha mchana linapita chini ya kijiji kizima.

That hot water fills a large public bath nearby. A big pool stays warm all year with no pump or boiler needed. Smaller bathhouses around the village use the same water. Iron in the water turns it a deep orange color.

Maji hayo ya moto hujaza bafu kubwa la umma lililo karibu. Bwawa kubwa hubaki na uvuguvugu mwaka mzima bila pampu wala boila. Vibanda vidogo vya kuogea kijijini hutumia maji yale yale. Chuma kilichomo majini hufanya rangi yake kuwa ya machungwa iliyokolea.

Some homes even use the underground heat for their own hot water, with no water heater needed. Polly realized the whole village runs on the volcano sleeping beneath it: cooking food, warming baths, and heating homes, with no fire and no fuel.

Baadhi ya nyumba hata hutumia joto la chini ya ardhi kwa maji yao ya moto, bila hita yoyote. Polly aligundua kwamba kijiji kizima kinaendeshwa na volkano inayolala chini yake: kupika chakula, kupasha mabafu joto, na kupasha nyumba joto, bila moto na bila mafuta.

She sat by the edge of the big orange pool and felt its warmth. A place built right on top of so much heat had found a clever way to use it.

Alikaa kwenye ukingo wa bwawa kubwa la rangi ya machungwa na akahisi joto lake. Mahali palipojengwa juu ya joto lingi kiasi hicho palikuwa pamepata njia nzuri ya kulitumia.