At least 50 people have tragically lost their lives in landslides in southern Ethiopia, as heavy rains wreak havoc in the region. The incidents occurred in a remote mountainous area of the Gofa zone, with one landslide striking on Sunday evening and another on Monday morning.
Local officials are working tirelessly to search for survivors, but the death toll could potentially rise. Footage from the scene shows a heartbreaking scene of hundreds of people gathered, desperately digging in the dirt in hopes of finding those trapped underneath.
Meskir Mitku, the general administrator of the Gofa zone, revealed that women, children, and police officers were among the casualties. The government spokesperson for the Gofa district, Kassahun Abayneh, explained that the first landslide occurred after heavy rain on Sunday night, with a second one following on Monday morning as locals gathered to help those affected.
Gofa, located around 320km southwest of the capital Addis Ababa, has been hit hard by the recent heavy rains and flooding, according to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. This is not the first time the region has faced such devastation, as similar deadly landslides occurred in May 2016.
Climate change is believed to be a contributing factor to the increased frequency of extreme weather events like heavy rainfall and landslides. With temperatures continuing to rise, it is crucial for governments worldwide to take urgent action to reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.
