ADDIS ABABA — At least 157 people were killed in a series of devastating mudslides in a
remote part of Ethiopia that has been battered by heavy rainfall, local authorities said
Tuesday.
Many of the victims lost their lives while attempting to rescue survivors from an earlier
mudslide.
The tragedy unfolded in the Kencho Shacha Gozdi district in southern Ethiopia. Dagmawi
Ayele, a local administrator, confirmed that young children and pregnant women were
among those who perished in the disaster.
The death toll climbed sharply from 55 late Monday to 157 by Tuesday as rescue operations
continued in the affected area, according to Kassahun Abayneh, head of the Gofa Zone
communications office. The Gofa Zone is the administrative region where the mudslides
occurred.
Most of the casualties were buried under a fresh mudslide on Monday morning, as rescue
workers navigated the steep terrain in search of survivors from another mudslide that
struck the previous day. Despite the overwhelming odds, at least five people were pulled
alive from the mud, Ayele reported.
“There are children who are hugging corpses, having lost their entire family, including
mother, father, brother, and sister, due to the accident,” Ayele said, painting a grim picture
of the aftermath.
Landslides are a frequent hazard during Ethiopia’s rainy season, which began in July and is
expected to last until mid-September. The relentless rains have exacerbated the
vulnerability of communities in the region, leading to recurring natural disasters.
As search and rescue efforts proceed, the local community and authorities are grappling
with the scale of the tragedy, striving to bring relief and support to the survivors while
mourning the tremendous loss of life.
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