The death toll from two landslides in southern Ethiopia jumped to 229 and could rise further as the search for survivors and victims continued into a second day, a government official said on Tuesday.
After heavy rain, a landslide buried people in the Gofa zone of Southern Ethiopia regional state on Sunday night, before another engulfed others who rallied to help on Monday morning.
“I don’t know when it will stop. “We’re still kicking.
On Monday, an official said at least 50 people had died, including children and police officers.
Footage shared by local authorities showed people digging up bodies with shovels and bare hands.
“The death toll rose after people who came to the rescue were also trapped,” Gofa district administrator Misikir Mitiku said. “It is a very sad event.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said he was deeply saddened by the terrible loss of life and that federal officials had been deployed to mitigate the impact of the disaster.
The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is Ethiopian, said his thoughts were with all the affected families and that a WHO team had been dispatched to support immediate health needs.
Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Regional Block.
