Scores dead in Ethiopia landslides
At least 157 people have been killed by two mudslides in the remote Gofa zone of Ethiopia which has been hit with heavy rainfall.
Aug 02, 2024
ETHIOPA: At least 157 people have been killed by two mudslides in the remote Gofa zone of Ethiopia which has been hit with heavy rainfall.
Many of them were trapped and buried as they tried to reach survivors of a first mud slide that was triggered by heavy rains on July 22, followed by a second one the next morning that struck during rescue operations.
Local authorities said young children and pregnant women were among the victims and they warned that the search is ongoing and “there are bodies yet to be recovered” and many people remain unaccounted for.
Gofa is part of the state known as the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region, located about 320km southwest of the capital, Addis Ababa.
Landslides are common during Ethiopia’s rainy season, which started in July and is expected to last until mid-September.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that “floods impacted over 19,000 people in several zones, in May, displacing over a thousand and causing damage to livelihoods and infrastructure”.
The flooding and landslides occurred even as other parts of the country face severe drought.
The UN reports that millions in the country face malnutrition due to recent climate-related challenges.
Source: AP and other news agencies
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