Death toll from Ethiopia landslides rises to 157
By Amina Wako |
A second landslide engulfed others who had gathered to help those affected by the first landslide.
The death toll from two landslides in southern Ethiopia has surged to 157, with numbers expected to rise further, a government official told Reuters on Tuesday.
A landslide buried people in the Gofa zone in the Southern Ethiopia regional state.
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A second landslide then engulfed others who had gathered to help on Monday morning, officials reported.
"The search and rescue operation is still ongoing and there are bodies yet to be recovered. The area is very challenging," Markos Melese, head of the National Disaster Response Agency in Gofa Zone, told Reuters by phone.
"We have so far recovered 157 bodies from two villages ... We believe the number will increase." On Monday, an official reported that at least 50 people had died, including children and police officers.
The deadly landslide occurred on Monday morning around 10:00 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) in southern Ethiopia's Geze Gofa district, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporation reported.
Misikir Mitiku, the chief administrator of the district, stated that more than 55 bodies, including women and children, have been found in the district, adding that the death toll could increase as rescue efforts continue.
Ethiopia is in the midst of a rainy season, which started in July and is expected to last until mid-September.
Constant rains occasionally cause landslides in some parts of the East African country.
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