Iqhwa elikhulu lihlasele indawo yokuphumula ye-'Gora Otdelnaya' (Separate Mountain) ngaphandle kwedolobha lase-Russian Arctic, i-Norilsk, laphihliza amaqhugwana amaningana abambe abashwibi, ngoLwesihlanu.

Iqhwa limboze indawo elinganiselwa ku-300 square metres, liphahlaze amaqhugwana amaningi kwashona abantu abathathu okuhlanganisa nengane. Ibhungu elino-frostbite lisindisiwe ngaphansi kweqhwa.

Lesi sigameko sidale ukuthi kube nomkhankaso omkhulu wokuhlenga ubusuku bonke, obubandakanya abasebenzi bezimo eziphuthumayo namavolontiya angaphezu kuka-240, kanye nezimoto ezahlukene ezibalelwa ku-30. Ukuhlinzwa kube nzima ngenxa yesimo sezulu esibi kakhulu, iqhwa elinamandla, nomoya onamandla endaweni, kusho uMnyango Wezimo Eziphuthumayo eRussia.

Izithombe ezivela endaweni yesigameko zibonisa abatakuli bemba eqhweni ebusuku, namakhoba amaqhugwane agxotshiwe abonakala ngemuva.

Abatakuli bakwazile ukukhipha umfana oneminyaka engu-14 ubudala ngaphansi kweqhwa. Ibhungu, elihlaselwe yiqhwa kanjalo namanye amanxeba, lilaliswe esibhedlela. Abanye abantu abathathu - abadala ababili nengane eyodwa, okuthiwa bangumndeni womfana olimele - babulawe yilesi sigameko. Abasebenzi bezimo eziphuthumayo bakwazile ukubuyisela izidumbu zabo kanti umsebenzi wokuhlenga kuthiwa uphelele, njengoba kubalwa bonke abantu endaweni.

I-Russian Investigative Committee ithe isithumele izikhulu zayo eNorilsk esendaweni engamakhilomitha angu-190 ngaphakathi kwe-Arctic Circle ukuyophenya ngalesi sigameko. Abaphenyi bazobheka ukwephulwa okungenzeka kwezinyathelo zokuphepha kule ndawo yokungcebeleka, kanye nokuzama ukuthola ukuthi ngobani ngempela abanikazi bamabhilidi agaywe yi-avalanche.

LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:

Izithombe ezivela endaweni yesigameko zibonisa abatakuli bemba eqhweni ebusuku, namakhoba amaqhugwane agxotshiwe abonakala ngemuva.
The investigators will look into potential violations of safety measures at the resort, as well as trying to establish who exactly owned the buildings crushed by the avalanche.
The emergency workers have been able to recover their bodies and the rescue operation was declared complete, with all the people in the area accounted for.