The death toll from a devastating landslide in southern Ethiopia has risen to at least 146, according to a local official. The landslide occurred on Monday morning around 10:00 am (0700 GMT) after heavy rains in a mountainous area of the South Ethiopia regional state. The initial report stated 55 fatalities.
A statement from the Gofa zone Communications Affairs Department, quoting local official Habtamu Fetena, said, “The number of dead from the sudden landslide that happened in Geze-Gofa district of Gofa zone has passed 146.” It was further detailed that the bodies of 96 men and 50 women had been recovered, with the search for more victims continuing vigorously. There are concerns that the number of casualties could rise.
Images shared by the state-affiliated media outlet Fana Broadcasting Corporate on Facebook showed hundreds of people at the site, using their bare hands to dig through the soil in search of survivors. Gofa zone is approximately 450 kilometers (270 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa, a journey of about 10 hours, situated north of Maze National Park.
The South Ethiopia regional state has experienced significant impacts from the short seasonal rains between April and early May, causing flooding and mass displacement, as reported by the UN’s humanitarian response agency OCHA.
