The death toll from two landslides in southern Ethiopia has risen to 229, an Ethiopian government official said Tuesday, and he did not rule out the possibility of the number rising as the search for survivors and victims continued for a second day.
Officials said a landslide buried people in the Gofa area of southern Ethiopia, and a second landslide buried others who were trying to rescue survivors on Monday morning.
“The search is still ongoing and there are bodies that have not been recovered yet,” Marcos Milesi, head of the national disaster agency in the Jova region, said by phone.
An official said on Monday that at least 50 people were killed, including children and police officers.
Footage released by the local administration showed people being pulled out.
“The death toll rose after people who came to the rescue were trapped… It is a very unfortunate incident,” said Misikire Mitiku, the director of the Gofa district.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said he was deeply saddened by the huge loss of life and that federal officials had been sent to the area to mitigate the impact of the disaster.
“We stand in strong solidarity with the people and government of Ethiopia as rescue efforts continue to find the missing and assist the displaced,” African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki wrote on social media platform X.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, an Ethiopian, said his thoughts were with all affected families and that a WHO team had been sent to support urgent health needs.
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