Landslide in Ethiopia leaves at least 55 dead

Local authorities said that a landslip in a remote part of southern Ethiopia on Monday claimed at least 55 lives, but they issued a warning that the number could grow.

“More than 55 bodies have been found from the landslide,” a statement from the Gofa zone Communications Affairs Department said, quoting local chief Dagmawi Zerihun, who warned “the death toll could yet increase”.

According to Dagmawi, the landslip happened in the mountainous region of South Ethiopia regional state at around 10:00 am (0700 GMT) as a result of intense rains. 

He stated that among the dead were women and children, and that the hunt for survivors was "continuing vigorously." 

The images showed individuals searching for survivors in the soil with just their bare hands. Gofa Zone is situated north of Maze National Park and is about 450 kilometres (270 miles) from Addis Ababa, the capital. A 10-hour trip will get you there.

The UN's humanitarian response agency OCHA reports that the South Ethiopia regional state has been severely damaged by the brief seasonal rains that occurred between April and early May, resulting in flooding and widespread displacement. 

According to a May report, "more than 19,000 people were affected by floods in multiple zones, resulting in over a thousand displaced individuals and infrastructural damage." 

There have been devastating landslides in the southern region in the past; in 2018, two different landslides that occurred within a week of each other claimed the lives of at least 32 people.

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