Ethiopia landslide claims 146 lives as death toll continues to climb

The number of fatalities from the southern Ethiopia landslide has increased to at least 146, according to a local official’s statement on Tuesday.

A devastating landslide struck a mountainous region in South Ethiopia’s regional state on Monday at approximately 10:00 a.m. local time (0700 GMT), triggered by intense rainfall.

Initially, the disaster claimed 55 lives, but the toll has since risen significantly.

A statement from the Gofa zone Communications Affairs Department said, quoting local official Mr. Habtamu Fetena: “The number of dead from the sudden landslide that happened in Geze-Gofa district of Gofa zone has passed 146.”

According to Habtamu, the recovery efforts have so far yielded the bodies of 96 males and 50 females, with the search operation still ongoing at full intensity.

He cautioned that the current death toll is likely to rise as the search continues.

Photos posted on Facebook by Fana Broadcasting Corporate, a state-affiliated media organization, depicted a chaotic scene on Monday, with hundreds of people gathered amidst a massive landslide of reddish-brown soil.

The images captured locals frantically digging through the rubble with their bare hands, desperately searching for survivors amidst the devastation.

The affected area, Gofa Zone, is situated approximately 450 kilometres (270 miles) north of Addis Ababa, requiring a 10-hour drive, and lies near the Maze National Park.

The intense short rains that occurred between April and early May severely impacted the South Ethiopia regional state, resulting in widespread flooding and community displacement, according to OCHA, the United Nations’ humanitarian response agency.