After a lot of rain, on Sunday night, a landslide in the Gofa zone of the Southern Ethiopian Regional State buried individuals, and on Monday morning, another one engulfed others who had assembled to help.
“I’m not sure when it will end. Markos Melese, the director of the National Disaster Response agency in the Gofa Zone, stated, “We are still recovering bodies.”
“We are still digging.”
At least 50 people have killed, including police officers and children, according to a statement made by an official on Monday.
The local government released footage of individuals using shovels and their bare hands to remove bodies from the ground.
“The number of fatalities increased as rescuers became entangled themselves in the trap,” Gofa district administrator Misikir Mitiku stated. “It is a very sad incident.”
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed his profound sorrow over the horrific death toll and announced that government personnel had been sent in to lessen the disaster’s effects.
African Union chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat posted on the social networking site X, saying, “We stand in strong solidarity with the people and Government of Ethiopia as rescue efforts continue to find the missing and assist the displaced.”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Ethiopian-born head of the World Health Organization, expressed his condolences to all the affected families and announced the dispatch of a WHO team to assist with emergency medical requirements.
“We urge everyone to stay vigilant and follow safety protocols to protect lives and prevent further tragedies as the region continues to face the harsh impacts of climate change,” Workneh Gebeyehu, executive secretary of the regional group Intergovernmental Authority on Development, stated.
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