According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, as of Thursday, the death toll in Ethiopia has reached 257 but is projected to reach 500.
Ethiopia’s National Disaster Risk Management Commission has given an estimate of 229 deaths on Tuesday.
A landslide occurred and buried people in Gofa zone, Southern Ethiopia regional state after heavy rain started on Sunday night while a second one took place on Monday morning burying those who had come together to rescue them.
Out of these seven were injured and are receiving treatment at Sawla Hospital. Additionally, there are 125 individuals that have been displaced from their homes and are living with host communities.
They mainly use spades and hands while digging through mounds of mud since they are not provided with tools by any other sources. From what local authorities have confirmed, the death toll may end up increasing to approximately five hundred (OCHR).
As per OCHR’s statistics, the number of affected persons rose from 14,000 on July twenty third to fifteen thousand five hundred fifteen by July twenty fourth. These individuals face great dangers because more landslides could occur anytime hence they must be moved immediately to safe areas.
Out of which one thousand three hundred twenty children less than five years old and about five thousand two hundred ninety-three expectant or nursing mothers can be counted among them. The evacuation plan is being finalized by Federal Government together with regional and zonal authorities.
