Rescue teams in southern Ethiopia have recovered 229 bodies after two landslides caused by heavy rain, according to local officials who spoke to the BBC. The landslides struck a remote area in the Gofa zone on Sunday and Monday.
Efforts to find survivors are still ongoing, and the number of deaths might increase. In the footage from the scene, you can see people digging through the mud and a hillside that has partially collapsed.
Dagmawi Ayele, the chief administrator of Goza zone, told the BBC that among the dead are both adults and children. Ten people who were rescued are now in the hospital.
The first landslide occurred on Sunday, and as rescue workers and locals were trying to help, a second landslide hit on Monday, burying them under the mud as well.
Markos Melese, head of Gofa’s disaster management, confirmed that 229 bodies have been found so far. Gofa is about 320km south-west of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital.
Southern Ethiopia has faced heavy rain and flooding recently, and this isn’t the first time landslides have caused severe damage. In May 2016, floods and landslides killed at least 50 people in the same region. Climate change is making extreme weather events like this more common.
The information comes from BBC reports and reflects ongoing efforts to manage the disaster.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c728l7ng2q0o