A catastrophic landslide occurred in Ethiopia’s Amhara region on Monday, resulting in at least 14 deaths and seven injuries. The tragedy struck at approximately 7 a.m. near a mountain, where massive rocks broke loose and crashed onto a group of worshippers who had gathered at a monastery to receive holy water. Megabe Hadis Neka Tibeb Ababu, the general manager of the diocese, confirmed that the disaster was worsened by the falling debris.
Search and rescue operations are currently underway to locate an unknown number of people who remain trapped beneath the mud and rock. A team of experts from the local disaster prevention office has been deployed to assist in the recovery efforts, according to a statement from the local administration’s communications office. Regarding the victims, 11 of the deceased have already been interred at the monastery, while the remains of the others were transported to their respective hometowns. Officials noted that identifying some of the victims has proven to be a difficult task.
Those who sustained serious injuries during the incident were transported to Debre Birhan, the capital of the North Shewa Administrative Zone, located approximately 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the site of the disaster. The event highlights the increasing frequency of mudslides and flooding in Ethiopia, particularly during the rainy season, known locally as Kiremt, which spans from June to September. The nation has faced several similar tragedies recently, including a major mudslide in July 2024 that claimed at least 257 lives in southern Ethiopia, and an earlier event this year in Gamo that resulted in over 100 deaths. Experts point to a combination of climate-linked extreme weather and poor infrastructure in rural areas as factors that leave communities highly vulnerable to such disasters.
“The disaster occurred at approximately 7 a.m., and many of those who died had gathered to receive the holy water,” Megabe Hadis Neka Tibeb Ababu, the diocese’s general manager, told The Associated Press.
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