At least 102 people were killed and dozen others reported missing after landslides swept through communities in southern Ethiopia’s Gamo Zone following days of heavy rainfall, triggering a large-scale search and rescue effort, officials said Thursday.
The disaster struck several districts in the Gamo Zone, including Gacho Baba, Kamba, and Bonke, after a week of persistent rain destabilized hillsides and caused large volumes of earth to collapse onto nearby villages.
Emergency crews and local residents have been digging through thick mud and debris in search of survivors. Authorities confirmed that one person was rescued alive from the mud, but many victims are believed to be buried beneath collapsed homes and landslide debris.
Landslides are a recurring threat in Ethiopia’s mountainous southern regions, particularly during periods of prolonged rainfall. Similar disasters have caused major casualties in the past, including a deadly 2024 landslide that killed more than 229 people in southern Ethiopia.
Natural disasters linked to extreme rainfall have become more frequent across parts of East Africa in recent years, often affecting rural communities located on steep or unstable terrain.
Local authorities in the Gamo Zone administration warned that continued rainfall has made hillsides unstable, raising concerns about additional landslides.
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