The death toll from a landslide in southern Ethiopia has risen to at least 157, a local official announced on Tuesday, warning that the number could rise.
The landslide happened around 10:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Monday, following heavy rainfall in a mountainous part of the South Ethiopia regional state. The last toll was 55.
“The number of dead from the sudden landslide that happened in Geze-Gofa district of Gofa zone has passed 146,” a statement from the Gofa zone Communications Affairs Department said, quoting local official Habtamu Fetena.
Habtamu mentioned that the bodies of 96 men and 50 women had been found, adding that the search was “continuing vigorously” and warning that the number of dead could increase.
On Monday, Fana Broadcasting Corporate, a state-affiliated media organisation, uploaded images on Facebook of hundreds of people near a horrific picture of collapsed red earth.
Photographs showed individuals digging into the dirt with their bare hands in search of survivors.
Gofa Zone is located north of the Maze National Park, around 450 kilometres (270 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa and a 10-hour trip away.
According to the UN’s humanitarian response organisation, OCHA, the short seasonal rains between April and early May have wreaked havoc on South Ethiopia, causing flooding and mass displacement.
