According to official communication department in Gofa, southern Ethiopia, at least 229 people (148 men and 81 women) have died in two landslides that struck the area. Teachers, health professionals, and agricultural experts, were among the victims.
The head of the zonal emergency response committee, said that there is a possibility of an increase in the number of casualties and that the search and rescue operations have been stepped up.
Video released by the local authorities depicted individuals utilizing shovels and their own hands to excavate for bodies.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed his profound sorrow over the tragic incident last night, adding that the Federal Disaster Prevention Task Force had been dispatched to the region to mitigate the effects of the disaster.
African Union (AU) Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat expressed unwavering support for the people and Government of Ethiopia as they work to locate the missing individuals and provide aid to those who have been displaced. This statement was shared on X (formerly Twitter).
At the beginning of July, a warning was released by the government regarding the potential for flooding and associated calamities in the ongoing rainy season. The southern Ethiopia region, as well as other locations including the capital Addis Ababa, were pinpointed as high-risk areas for significant flooding.
Southern Ethiopia’s past had been long marked by destructive landslides that have led to a substantial loss of life and forced displacement.
According to a report released in November by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), last year in Ethiopia, at least 43 individuals lost their lives as a result of floods and landslides. Additionally, in May 2018, twin landslides occurred within a few hours of each other in the West Arsi, Sidama, and Gamo Gofa zones, resulting in the deaths of 45 people and the displacement of numerous others.
