On Friday, grieving families in a remote southern region of Ethiopia gathered to say their final goodbyes to loved ones lost in a catastrophic landslide. Authorities have declared three days of mourning to honor the victims.
The landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, struck the tiny locality of Kencho Shacha Gozdi, claiming at least 257 lives, according to the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA. Local authorities fear the death toll could climb to 500 as rescue operations continue.
“This is the deadliest landslide on record in Ethiopia,” said Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesman. “With more rain expected, similar emergencies may occur. The need for international support to humanitarian agencies in Ethiopia is urgent.”
Distraught families near the disaster site performed burial rituals, washing and wrapping the bodies of their loved ones in shawls. Ketema Kelsaye, a 32-year-old villager, expressed both grief and relief after finding his wife’s body. “Properly burying her has brought some solace to my sorrow,” he said.
Ethiopia’s parliament has announced a three-day mourning period starting Saturday, hoping to provide comfort to the victims’ families and the nation. The Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission reported that humanitarian aid and rehabilitation efforts are underway, with a coordinated emergency response structure in place. They emphasized the need to relocate 6,000 people from the affected region.
OCHA highlighted the urgent need to evacuate over 15,000 individuals due to the risk of additional landslides, including small children and thousands of pregnant women or new mothers. Aid is beginning to arrive, including four trucks from the Ethiopian Red Cross Society.
Many victims were reportedly buried while attempting to rescue others after an initial landslide following heavy rains on Sunday. “The bodies recovered on the first day were easily identified because their limbs were intact,” said Iyasu Zumayunga, a 40-year-old local resident. “We washed their faces and identified which families they belonged to.”
International condolences have poured in, including messages from the African Union, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, and World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is Ethiopian. Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, frequently faces climate-related disasters, with over 21 million people relying on humanitarian aid due to conflict, flooding, or drought.
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