Rescue teams have recovered 157 bodies following two deadly landslides in southern Ethiopia, a local official reported. The landslides struck the remote, mountainous Gofa zone on Sunday evening and Monday morning after heavy rains. Search efforts are ongoing, and the death toll may rise, with survivors still being sought.
Footage shows hundreds of people digging through the debris, with a partially collapsed hillside and exposed red earth in the background. Gofa’s chief administrator, Dagmawi Ayele, confirmed the dead include both adults and children, while ten survivors are hospitalized.
The first landslide on Sunday triggered frantic rescue efforts, only for a second landslide to hit on Monday, burying rescuers. Gofa is located about 320km southwest of Addis Ababa and has been severely affected by heavy rains and flooding recently, according to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Historically, the region has faced similar disasters; in May 2016, floods and landslides claimed at least 50 lives. Climate change, contributing to a warming atmosphere, is increasing the likelihood of extreme rainfall and such catastrophic events.
