Addis Abeba — Rescue efforts are still ongoing following a landslide that struck the Gofa Zone of the South Ethiopia Regional State on Monday, with officials still expecting the number of casualties to rise as there are still missing individuals.
The official death toll from the landslide that struck the Kencho Shacha Gozdi village on Monday at 10:00 AM remains 229, but the district's communications officer told Addis Standard that the bodies of 237 people have been recovered as of Wednesday morning.
The communication officer, who wanted not to be named, told Addis Standard that although there was a delay due to the poor road conditions, heavy machinery has now been deployed by the regional authorities to clear the debris and repair the road.
Subsequently "three Red Cross vehicles from the federal government carrying food and clothing to the affected population arrived in the area yesterday," the officer said.
More relief efforts have reportedly arrived in the area on Wednesday to assist those affected by the unprecedented landslide.
Yealem Merheneh, head of the district communication office, and an eyewitness, recounted how the incident unfolded.
In an interview with Addis Standard, he described the situation as "very dire" and said he had never "encountered or heard of" such an incident. He explained that a second landslide occurred while initial rescue efforts were underway.
"We arrived at the scene with communication experts upon hearing of the initial disaster. There were many locals and people from other areas gathered to provide assistance. Suddenly, at 9:30 AM, we heard an explosive noise. The ground unexpectedly collapsed, burying everyone present who had gathered to provide assistance," Yealem stated.
Recounting how his life was saved, Yealem said, "We heard a very loud noise while observing from a short distance. The word 'loud' doesn't fully describe it. We saw before our eyes as the ground collapsed on all those people who came to rescue."
He reported that local officials, including the district administrator, deputy administrator, and political affairs head, were present during the incident but managed to avoid the landslide.
Moreover, Yealem reported that a kebele chairman and a security official who were assisting the people lost their lives in the tragic incident.
On Wednesday, the Deputy Chief Administrator of the South Ethiopia Regional State, Gebremeskel Chala, and a high-level delegation from the regional leadership visited the area.
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Gebremeskel expressed deep sorrow for the lives lost and stated that federal and regional disaster response teams have been deployed to mitigate the damage.
Previously, the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC) announced it has initiated emergency measures to assist those displaced and injured.
Commissioner Shiferaw Teklemariam informed state media that approximately 400 people have been displaced by the landslide. He noted that these individuals are receiving essential supplies and that expert teams have been deployed to assess the situation and implement preventive measures.
The Federal Disaster Prevention Task Force has been deployed to assist in ongoing efforts in the affected area, the Commissioner added.
PM Abiy Ahmed posted on social media late on Tuesday that he is "deeply saddened by this terrible loss." He added that "the Federal Disaster Prevention Task Force has been deployed to the area and is working to reduce the impact of the disaster."
Social media posts indicate that an online fundraising campaign has been initiated to support those affected by the landslide.
