Riaan 
Ukuzamazama komhlaba okunamandla kwazamazama eningizimu ye-Ecuador nasenyakatho yePeru ngoMgqibelo, kwashona okungenani abantu abangu-15, kwavala abanye ngaphansi kwemfucumfucu, futhi kwathumela amaqembu abatakuli aphumela emigwaqweni egcwele imfucumfucu nezintambo zikagesi eziwile.
I-US Geological Survey yabika ngokuzamazama komhlaba okulinganiselwa ku-6.8 magnitude enkabeni yePacific Coast, cishe amakhilomitha angu-80 eningizimu yeGuayaquil, idolobha lesibili ngobukhulu e-Ecuador. Esinye sezisulu sashonela ePeru, kwathi abanye abangu-14 bashonela e-Ecuador, lapho iziphathimandla nazo zabika ukuthi okungenani kwalimala abantu abangu-126.
UMengameli wase-Ecuadorian uGuillermo Lasso utshele abezindaba ukuthi ukuzamazama komhlaba “ngaphandle kokungabaza … kufake i-alamu kubantu.” Ihhovisi likaLasso esitatimendeni lithe izisulu ezingu-12 zishone esifundeni esisogwini i-El Oro kanti ababili endaweni ephakeme yase-Azuay.
EPeru, ukuzamazama komhlaba kwezwakala kusukela emngceleni wayo osenyakatho ne-Ecuador kuya ogwini olumaphakathi nePacific. UNdunankulu wasePeru u-Alberto Otárola uthe intombazane, 4, ishone ngenxa yokulimala ekhanda eyakuthola ngesikhathi kuwa komuzi wayo esifundeni saseTumbes, emngceleni ne-Ecuador.
Esinye sezisulu e-Azuay ubegibele emotweni ephihlizwe yimfucumfucu emzini ose-Andean umphakathi waseCuenca, ngokusho kweRisk Management Secretariat, i-ejensi yezimo eziphuthumayo yase-Ecuador.
E-El Oro, le nhlangano iphinde yabika ukuthi abantu abambalwa bavaleleke ngaphansi kwemfucumfucu. Emphakathini waseMachala kubhidlike umuzi onezitezi ezimbili ngaphambi kokuthi abantu baphume, kwadedeleka isibaya kwaqhekeka izindonga zebhilidi kwavaleleka isibalo sabantu esingaziwa.
Lesi sikhungo sithe izicishamlilo zisebenze ukuhlenga abantu ngesikhathi Amaphoyisa Kazwelonke ehlola umonakalo, umsebenzi wabo wenze waba nzima kakhulu ngenxa yolayini abanqamukile ophazamise izingcingo nogesi.
Isakhamuzi saseMachala uFabricio Cruz uthe ubesendlini yakhe esitezi sesithathu ngesikhathi ezwa ukundindizela okunamandla futhi ebona umabonakude wakhe ushaya phansi. Waphuma ngokushesha.
“Ngizwile ukuthi omakhelwane bami babememeza kanjani futhi kunomsindo omkhulu,” kusho uCruz, umthwebuli wezithombe oneminyaka engu-34. Uqhube wathi uma eqalaza wabona sekubhidlika uphahla lwezindlu eziseduze.
Uhulumeni wase-Ecuador uphinde wabika ngomonakalo ezikhungweni zezempilo nasezikoleni. ULasso uthe uzohamba ngoMgqibelo alibhekise e-El Oro.
EGuayaquil, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-270 eningizimu-ntshonalanga yenhloko-dolobha, iQuito, iziphathimandla zabika imifantu ezakhiweni nasezindlini, kanye nezindonga eziwile. Iziphathimandla ziyalele ukuthi kuvalwe imigudu emithathu yezimoto eGuayaquil, ehlanganisa indawo kamasipala enabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezintathu.
Amavidiyo abiwe ezinkundleni zokuxhumana akhombisa abantu ababebuthene emigwaqweni yaseGuayaquil nasemiphakathini eseduze. Abantu babike izinto eziwela ngaphakathi ezindlini zabo.
Ividiyo eyodwa efakwe ku-inthanethi ikhombise amahange amathathu omdlalo we-dart ovela etafuleni labo lesitudiyo njengoba isethi izamazama. Baqale bazama ukuyinyakazisa njengokuzamazama okuncane kodwa ngokushesha babalekela ikhamera. Elinye ihange labonisa ukuthi uhlelo luzophuma ikhefu lezentengiso, kanti omunye waphinda wathi, “Nkulunkulu wami, Nkulunkulu wami.”
ULuis Tomalá wayedoba nabanye ngesikhathi kuqala ukuzamazama komhlaba. Uthe isikebhe sabo saqala ukuhamba “njengehhashi lomjaho, sesaba, kwathi lapho sivula umsakazo, sezwa ngokuzamazama komhlaba.” Kungaleso sikhathi lapho iqembu lakhe, uTomalá ethe, lanquma ukuhlala olwandle lesaba ukuthi kungase kube ne-tsunami.
Umbiko ovela ku-Adverse Events Monitoring Directorate yase-Ecuador ukhiphe usongo lwe-tsunami.
Iziphathimandla zasePeruvia zithe izindonga ezindala zekamu lamasosha ziwile eTumbes.
I-Ecuador ijwayele kakhulu ukuzamazama komhlaba. Ngo-2016, ukuzamazama komhlaba okugxile enyakatho ogwini lwasePacific endaweni enabantu abambalwa kakhulu yezwe kwabulala abantu abangaphezu kuka-600.
Umfundi waseMachala, uKatherine Cruz, uthe umuzi wakubo ubezamazama kangangoba ubengakwazi nokusukuma aphume egunjini lakhe abalekele emgwaqweni.
“Bekubi kakhulu. Ngangingakaze ngizwe into enje empilweni yami,” kusho yena.
