At least 50 people have tragically lost their lives in landslides in southern Ethiopia, as heavy rains wreak havoc in the region. The incidents, which occurred on Sunday evening and Monday morning in a remote mountainous area of the Gofa zone, have left the local community devastated.
Local officials are working tirelessly to search for survivors, but the death toll could still rise as the rescue efforts continue. Heartbreaking footage shows hundreds of people gathered at the scene, desperately digging in the dirt in hopes of finding those trapped underneath the debris.
Meskir Mitku, the general administrator of the Gofa zone, revealed that women, children, and even 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, leading to a tragic chain of events that resulted in further loss of life on Monday morning.
Gofa, located around 320km southwest of the capital, Addis Ababa, has been severely affected 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, with similar incidents occurring in May 2016, claiming the lives of 50 people.
The increasing frequency of extreme weather events like landslides and floods is a stark reminder of the impact of climate change. As the world continues to warm, the likelihood of such disasters occurring rises. It is crucial for governments worldwide to take urgent action to reduce emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change before more lives are lost to natural disasters.
