A deluge of rain unleashed devastating landslides in Gozdi Kebele in Gofa Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Two landslides on July 21 and 22 have resulted in the deaths of at least 226 people as of Friday, July 26, 2024, according to the Disaster Risk Management Commission. Many of the victims were buried under the mud and stone as they attempted to rescue friends, family, and neighbors from the debris. Agencies such as UNOCHA estimate the death toll from the disaster could reach up to 500, with up to 15,000 in need of evacuation amid fears of more landslides in light of the heavy rainfall in the region.
The incident is among the most deadly natural disasters in recent Ethiopian history. Images of people digging through the rubble with shovels and bare hands in an attempt to rescue any survivors and recover corpses are a testimony to the lack of an institutionalized early warning system in Ethiopia’s Rift Valley region, as well as the unpreparedness for the effects of climate change.
On Friday, Parliament declared a three day period of mourning for the victims of the Gofa disaster but the gesture is too little too late for the hundreds of victims and the thousands affected by the landslide. The catastrophe has garnered international attention, and global humanitarian agencies are among those at the forefront of rescue efforts.
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