At least 50 people have died and 125 others are missing after three districts in southern Ethiopia were hit by landslides following a week of heavy rains, a local official announced via ABC News on Thursday (March 12).
The landslides occurred in Gamo Zone, resulting in destruction in the Gacho Baba, Kamba and Bonke Districts, Gamo Zone director of disaster response Mesfin Manuqa confirmed, adding that one person was pulled out of the mud alive during rescue efforts. Gacho Baba District communication chief Abebe Agena confirmed that the majority of casualties were found buried in mud.
It was unclear how many households were affected by the landslide at the time of publication on Thursday. Tilahun Kebede, president of the South Ethiopia Regional State, shared a statement in response to the tragic events and urged residents to seek higher ground as rain continued in the area.
“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 via ABC News.
Ethiopia commonly sees mudslides and flooding caused by heavy rainfall, specifically during the rainy season. A deadly mudslide killed 229 people in southern Ethiopia in July 2024.
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