Markos Melese, director of the disaster response agency in Gofa Zone
At least 157 people have been killed in a series of mudslides in the remote Kencho Shacha Gozdi district of southern Ethiopia, local authorities reported on Tuesday.
The tragedy unfolded as heavy rainfall battered the region, with many victims perishing while attempting to rescue survivors from an earlier mudslide.
Dagmawi Ayele, a local administrator, confirmed that among the deceased were young children and pregnant women. The death toll has risen significantly from 55 reported late Monday to 157 as search operations continue.
Kassahun Abayneh, head of the Gofa Zone communications office, detailed that most of the fatalities occurred in a mudslide on Monday morning.
Rescue workers, who were scouring the difficult terrain for survivors of a previous mudslide, were themselves buried under the new landslide.
At least five people have been rescued alive from the mud, according to Ayele.
However, the situation remains dire as many remain unaccounted for. Markos Melese, director of the disaster response agency in Gofa Zone, reported that the rescue efforts are ongoing.
“We are still searching for the missing,” Melese said, adding that many people were covered by mud while trying to help others.
Melese described the heartbreaking scenes, including children found clinging to the bodies of their deceased family members.
“There are children who are hugging corpses, having lost their entire family, including mother, father, brother, and sister, due to the accident,” he said.
Landslides are a common occurrence during Ethiopia’s rainy season, which began in July and is expected to last until mid-September.
The severe weather has exacerbated the risks, leading to the catastrophic events in the Gofa Zone.
