ADDIS ABABA: Rescue efforts underway on Tuesday in southern Ethiopia as local residents, armed with shovels and bare hands, frantically searched for survivors after a devastating landslide killed at least 229 persons, marking the deadliest such disaster in the country’s history.
The tragedy occurred in the remote Kencho-Shacha locality of the Gofa Zone within the South Ethiopia regional state on Monday, triggered by heavy rains that pounded the area overnight. The disaster struck four households initially, but quickly engulfed more as residents rushed to aid those affected.
According to the local Communications Affairs Department, the confirmed death toll includes 148 men and 81 women. Authorities managed to rescue five persons from the mud and debris, who are now receiving medical treatment, as reported by the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation.
“Families were mobilized to rescue those affected, but tragically, many lost their lives in the attempt,” lamented Firaol Bekele, the early warning director at the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC).
The victims included the locality’s administrator, teachers, health professionals, and agricultural workers who had responded swiftly to the initial emergency call. Images shared by local authorities showed harrowing scenes of residents carrying bodies wrapped in makeshift stretchers amidst the rubble.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed profound grief over the loss of lives, affirming the deployment of the Federal Disaster Prevention Task Force to mitigate further impact and assist in rescue operations.
“The area affected is rural, remote, and characterized by steep terrain, exacerbating the challenges of relief efforts,” commented an Ethiopian refugee residing in Kenya, who hails from a nearby district.
Ethiopia, with a population of approximately 120 million people, faces recurrent climate-related disasters including floods and droughts due to its geographical vulnerabilities. The country has witnessed similar tragedies in recent years.
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African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat extended condolences to the families of the victims, emphasizing solidarity with Ethiopia as rescue efforts continue.
In May, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported significant flooding and displacement in the South Ethiopia region during the rainy season, affecting thousands of people and causing extensive damage to infrastructure and livelihoods.
This latest landslide incident in Ethiopia recalls previous disasters, including a 2017 garbage dump collapse in Addis Ababa that claimed 113 lives, and the deadliest landslide in Africa’s history in Sierra Leone in 2017, where 1,141 people perished.
Mudslides in the Mount Elgon region of eastern Uganda killed more than 350 people in February 2010.
