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In the remote Gofa zone of Ethiopia, a harrowing scene unfolds as villagers dig through thick mud and debris, desperately searching for loved ones. A devastating landslide, triggered by heavy rains on Sunday, has claimed 229 lives so far, with many more people still missing. The men use simple tools—spades, pickaxes, and even their bare hands—as the women and children mourn the dead and anxiously await news of the missing.

The initial landslide engulfed four homes in a village high on a mountain, prompting an immediate response from neighboring villagers and police officers who came to help with the rescue efforts. They hoped to find survivors trapped under the mud. However, their efforts were met with another tragedy on Monday when a second landslide struck, burying hundreds more. The exact number of those buried remains uncertain, adding to the anguish of the situation.

When I arrived in Gofa on Wednesday, the scene was somber and chaotic. Around 100 to 200 young men continued to dig tirelessly, despite the lack of heavy machinery. The village’s remote location, accessible only by a narrow and now-muddy footpath along a cliff, has made it impossible to bring in equipment. This steep and dangerous path is the only way to carry the bodies of the deceased down for burial, a task that has become a heart-wrenching routine for the grieving families.

Amid the digging, makeshift tombs are being constructed as a final resting place for the victims. The women and children, part of this tight-knit farming community, have not stopped weeping, their sorrow deepened by the uncertainty of finding their loved ones. Disaster relief officials mentioned the use of drones to aid in search-and-rescue operations, but their presence has been sporadic, leaving the villagers to rely mainly on manual labor.

Gofa, located approximately 320 kilometers (199 miles) southwest of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, is no stranger to extreme weather. The region has recently experienced unusually heavy rains and flooding, which have exacerbated the risk of landslides. A similar disaster occurred in May 2016, resulting in the deaths of at least 50 people. The United Nations’ humanitarian office (OCHA) has called for $3 billion in aid to address the impacts of recent weather patterns and ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia, but the response has been underfunded.

Paul Handley, head of OCHA in Ethiopia, highlighted the urgent need to evacuate around 10,000 people from the affected area due to concerns about the stability of the slopes. With more rain expected, the threat of further landslides looms large, and the community faces an uncertain future.

Major Points:

  • A devastating landslide in Ethiopia’s Gofa zone has claimed 229 lives, with many more people still missing.
  • The initial landslide, caused by heavy rains, buried four homes and triggered a rescue effort by local villagers and police officers.
  • A second landslide struck on Monday, burying hundreds more people under the mud, with the exact number of missing still unknown.
  • The remote location and lack of heavy machinery have hindered rescue efforts, forcing villagers to dig with basic tools and their hands.
  • The United Nations has called for $3 billion in aid for Ethiopia, highlighting the urgent need for disaster relief and the evacuation of 10,000 people from the affected area.

RM Tomi – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News