Kwashona abantu abangu-XNUMX ngempelasonto ePortugal ngesikhathi izikhukhula nokudilika kwenhlabathi kukhukhula amadolobhana asezintabeni nasemadolobheni asogwini esiqhingini saseMadeira. Namuhla iziphathimandla zizama ukulungisa imisele yamanzi eziphepho kanye nokususa imfucumfucu. Amaqembu abatakuli asebenzise izinja ezihogelayo ukucinga okungenani abantu abane abangakatholakali.

Abasebenzi enhlokodolobha, iFunchal, bakhiphe amanzi endaweni yokupaka engaphansi kwenxanxathela yezitolo, lapho besaba ukuthi bangase bathole ezinye izidumbu. Amazinga amabili enkatho acwiliswe ngamanzi ngoMgqibelo, lapho imvula yenyanga evamile yehla ngamahora ayisishiyagalombili nje.

Umgwaqo oseduze wawugcwele izimoto ezigcwele umhlabathi kanye nenqwaba yezincwadi ezazisetshenziswa njengezitebhisi odakeni. U-Anais Fernandes, umabhalane wesitolo, uchaze ukubona amanzi ediliza ibhuloho.

"Abantu bebewela, futhi waqala ukuzwa ukukhala," etshela i-Associated Press Television News. “Wonke umuntu ubegijima ndawonye. Kwakubi kakhulu.”

Amathimba abatakuli akhiphe izimoto ezindundumeni zodaka ukuze abone ukuthi akekho yini ngaphakathi. Izinja ezihogelayo zakhuculula imfucumfucu evimbe imigwaqo. Abasebenzi bezimo eziphuthumayo basebenzise ogandaganda nezilayishi ngaphambili ukuze basuse amathani odaka olunamakhekhe, amatshe amatshe kanye nezihlahla eziqhamukile emiseleni nasemifuleni, ngethemba lokusheshisa ukugeleza kwamanzi.

"Sihambe amahora angu-48 futhi sizoqhubeka kuze kube yilapho umsebenzi usuphelile," kusho iMeya yaseFunchal uMiguel Albuquerque.

Abantu bendawo bebematasatasa njengoba amanzi eshanela, echitha amanzi engeziwe emagqumeni amuncu.

UConceicao Estudante, inhloko yesifunda yezokuvakasha nezokuthutha, utshele isithangami sabezindaba ukuthi izisulu ezingu-18 namanje azikahlonzwa. Ucele amalungu omndeni ukuthi aye emakhazeni esikhashana esikhumulweni sezindiza iFunchal.

Amalungu ayisikhombisa omndeni onamalungu ayisishiyagalombili ashonile ngesikhathi umuzi wawo ongasegqumeni uguguleka, kubika umsakazi weRadiotelevisao Portuguesa.

Izikhulu zithe abantu abangu-18 kwabangu-151 abangeniswe esibhedlela esikhulu saseFunchal basalashwa. Abantu abangaba ngu-150 babengenamakhaya.

URui Pereira, uNgqongqoshe Wezokuphatha Kwangaphakathi, uthe eLisbon uhulumeni uthumela usizo lwesibili esiqhingini.

Indiza yokuthutha amasosha beyilibangise eMadeira nezinye izinja ezihogelayo, imishini yokumpompa enamandla amakhulu kanye nemishini yamasosha ezothatha indawo yemigwaqo namabhuloho abhidlikile, kusho uPereira. Uthe izidingo zezimali zikaMadeira zisabalwa.

IMadeira, indawo ethandwa izivakashi, iyisiqhingi esikhulu seqoqo leziqhingi lamaPutukezi elinegama elifanayo e-Atlantic Ocean elingaphezudlwana nje kwamamayela angama-300 (amakhilomitha angama-480) ukusuka ogwini olusentshonalanga ye-Afrika.

Uhulumeni wasePutukezi umemezele izinsuku ezintathu zokuzilela izisulu zenhlekelele embi kunazo zonke eMadeira.