50 Dead, 125 Missing as Devastating Landslides Ravage Communities
- Landslides triggered by days of heavy rainfall killed at least 50 people and left 125 others missing in southern Ethiopia
- Rescue teams recovered one survivor from the mud as search operations continued across three affected districts in the Gamo Zone
- Regional authorities urged residents in high-risk areas to relocate to safer ground as rains persisted
Deadly landslides triggered by days of intense rainfall have devastated parts of southern Ethiopia, leaving at least 50 people dead and 125 others unaccounted for, according to local authorities.
The disaster struck three districts within the Gamo Zone after a week of sustained downpours weakened hillsides and caused large volumes of earth to collapse onto nearby communities, AP reported.
Source: AFP
Officials said the affected areas were Gacho Baba, Kamba and Bonke districts, all located in the country’s south. Emergency teams were immediately deployed as families searched for relatives feared trapped beneath the mud.
Rescue efforts amid grim conditions
Mesfin Manuqa, the Gamo Zone director of disaster response, said rescue workers managed to pull one person out alive from the debris during ongoing operations. Search teams have since been working against time, using basic tools to dig through thick layers of mud in difficult terrain.
Many of the victims, according to local authorities, were found buried inside their homes.
Abebe Agena, the communication chief of Gacho Baba District, said most of those killed were recovered from areas where entire structures had been overwhelmed by the landslides.
He added that the full scale of the destruction remained unclear, as officials were still assessing how many households were affected.
Authorities urge precautionary measures
Tilahun Kebede, president of the South Ethiopia Regional State, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and warned residents that further disasters could occur as rains persist. He urged people living in highland and flood-prone areas to relocate temporarily to safer ground.
“Given that it is the rainy season and these types of disasters could happen again, I am calling on communities living in the highlands and flood-prone areas to take the necessary precautions,” he said.
Seasonal rains frequently bring flooding and landslides to several parts of Ethiopia, particularly in rural regions where homes are built on unstable slopes. Poor drainage systems and deforestation have also worsened the impact of extreme weather events in recent years.
The latest tragedy revives memories of a major mudslide in July 2024 that killed 229 people in southern Ethiopia after prolonged rainfall.
That disaster prompted renewed calls for stronger early warning systems and better land management practices, concerns that have resurfaced as authorities grapple with the current emergency.
Search and rescue operations were continuing as of Thursday, with officials warning that the casualty figures could rise as more areas are reached.
Family members killed in catastrophic Lagos road accident
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a pre-dawn crash on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway had claimed the lives of a father, mother and their young child in what authorities described as a catastrophic multi-vehicle collision.
The accident occurred around the Secretariat inward Otedola Bridge corridor and involved several vehicles travelling along the busy route.
Source: Legit.ng
