At least 80 people have died in catastrophic landslides in Ethiopia, with a three-day mourning period declared as rescue workers recover bodies. Landslides have resulted in the deaths of dozens of residents from the Gamo Zone area in the south of the country in Africa, whilst another 3,461 have been displaced, according to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
Tagesse Chafo, Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, announced three days of mourning would commence on Saturday. Numerous people remain missing since the disaster occurred on Tuesday as a result of heavy rain, officials reported. Search and recovery operations have been ongoing for days, hindered by the continuous heavy rain battering the area.
The Ethiopian government has been mobilising resources in collaboration with regional authorities.
Contributions from private citizens and businesses are also being directed into a fund established by the regional government to provide relief items to those affected.
Heavy rains have been lashing countries in East Africa, and in neighbouring Kenya, the death toll from Saturday’s flash floods has risen to 62.
The region is anticipated to experience further rainfall due to the rainy season, and governments have urged residents to exercise caution.
Last month, the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre stated that the March-April-May rainy season has a 45% likelihood of above-average rainfall across most countries in the region.
This includes Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Northern Somalia, and Djibouti.