Addis Abeba – At least 30 people have died after landslides and flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall struck highland areas of Gamo Zone in the South Ethiopia Regional State, local authorities said.
The Gamo Zone administration said the disaster followed continuous and unseasonal rains that fell between the night of 09 March and the early morning of 11 March 2026, affecting several kebeles across three woredas.
Among the victims were a mother and her two children who were killed instantly when a landslide struck their home in Yela Kebele of Bonke Woreda. The father survived but sustained serious injuries and is receiving treatment at Bonke Gazeso Health Center.
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Authorities also confirmed the deaths of two individuals following sudden flooding in Balta town in Kamba Zuria Woreda, while six others were killed in a landslide in Mazo Doysa Kebele of Gacho Baba Woreda. Officials said debris from landslides and floodwaters has blocked public transport routes, disrupting movement and complicating rescue operations in affected areas.
Mesfin Manuko, head of the Gamo Zone Disaster Risk Management Office, described the impact of the heavy rainfall in Bonke and Gacho Baba woredas as “devastating.” He added that the overflow of the Kulfo and Sego rivers had also caused damage to institutions and infrastructure in Arba Minch city and nearby districts.
Regional authorities warn that further disasters could occur as seasonal rains continue. Wogene Bizuneh, commissioner of the South Ethiopia Region Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Commission, told the state-run Ethiopian News Agency that ongoing Belg season rains could trigger additional landslides in mountainous areas including Gamo, Wolayta, South Omo, Konso, Gedeo and Gofa zones, as well as flooding in lowland regions.
The zonal administration expressed condolences to families of the victims and said it is coordinating with humanitarian organizations and the private sector to provide emergency assistance to affected residents. Authorities have also urged communities in high-risk areas—including Kola Shele, Shele Mela and Elgo kebeles in Arba Minch Zuria Woreda, as well as Balta Kebele in Kamba Zuria—to remain vigilant.
Residents have been advised to watch for warning signs such as ground cracks or sudden emergence of water springs and to relocate to safer ground away from riverbanks and steep slopes during periods of heavy rain.
The latest disaster follows a series of deadly landslides in southern Ethiopia linked to intense rainfall. In August 2024, landslides in Kawo Koyisha district of Wolayita Zone killed 11 people while five others went missing as rescue teams searched through debris.
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Earlier that same year, consecutive landslides in Geze Gofa district of Gofa Zone left at least 257 people dead after days of torrential rain.
Local authorities and disaster officials continue to warn that communities in mountainous and flood-prone areas remain vulnerable as heavy rains persist across parts of southern Ethiopia. AS
