Ethiopia landslides kill 229, death toll expected to rise

The dual landslide in Ethiopia has accounted for the lives of at least 229 people, reports said. The toll could rise further as officials are searching the area for survivors.

The two landslides hit Gofa zone in Southern Ethiopia regional state. The first took place on Sunday night, and the other the following morning.

“I don’t know when it will stop. We are still recovering bodies,” Markos Melese, head of the National Disaster Response agency in Gofa Zone, was quoted as saying by Reuters. “We are still digging.”

As per Ethiopian officials, children and police officers were among the deceased.

The news agency quoted Gofa district administrator Misikir Mitiku as saying that the numbers rose as people who had come to help rescue those trapped on Sunday, themselves got trapped on Monday. Mitiku termed it as a very sad incident.

The loss of lives has been condoled by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, African Union chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, WHO boss Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, among others.

“We stand in strong solidarity with the people and Government of Ethiopia as rescue efforts continue to find the missing and assist the displaced,” Mahamat wrote on X.