Ethiopia Declares Three Days of Mourning After Landslides Kill 80

Ethiopia has declared three days of mourning after landslides in the southern Gamo Zone killed at least 80 people and displaced more than 3,400 residents. Rescue operations are ongoing despite heavy rains, while authorities warn that continued rainfall across East Africa could worsen flooding and landslide risks.

Ethiopia has declared three days of national mourning following deadly landslides in the country’s south that have claimed at least 80 lives. The announcement was made by Tagesse Chafo, Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, who said the mourning period will begin on Saturday as the country honours those who lost their lives in the disaster.
Authorities said at least 80 bodies have been recovered so far from the Gamo Zone area in southern Ethiopia, where landslides triggered by heavy rainfall swept through communities earlier in the week. The disaster struck on Tuesday, burying homes and trapping residents under mud and debris.
Officials say many more people are still missing following the tragedy. Rescue teams and volunteers have been carrying out search and recovery operations for several days, but progress has been slow because heavy rainfall continues to pound the affected area, making conditions dangerous and limiting access to some locations.
Regional government communications head Hailemariam Tesfaye said efforts to locate the remaining victims have been intensified as authorities continue to deploy emergency personnel and equipment to the disaster zone.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported on Friday that the landslides have displaced about 3,461 people from their homes. Many of the affected residents have been forced to seek temporary shelter as relief agencies work to provide assistance.
The Government Communication Service said on Thursday that the federal government is mobilising resources and coordinating with regional authorities to support rescue and relief operations. Emergency supplies and humanitarian aid are being organised to assist the victims and communities affected by the disaster.
At the same time, donations from private citizens and business organisations have begun flowing into a special relief fund set up by the regional government. The fund is intended to provide food, clothing, and other essential items to displaced families and those who lost their homes.
The landslides come as several countries across East Africa experience intense rainfall during the ongoing rainy season. In neighbouring Kenya, flash floods that struck over the weekend have already claimed at least 62 lives.
Weather experts say the region could see even more rainfall in the coming weeks. The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre recently warned that the March–April–May rainy season has about a 45 percent chance of bringing above-average rainfall to most countries in the region.
The forecast affects several nations including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Sudan, northern Somalia and Djibouti.
Authorities across the region have urged residents living in flood-prone and landslide-risk areas to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures as the rainy season continues.