Ethiopian lawmakers announced a three-day period of mourning on Friday as workers continued their efforts to recover the bodies of mudslide victims in a remote area of the East African nation.
Deadly mudslides in southern Ethiopia, triggered by heavy rain on Sunday and Monday, have claimed at least 257 lives, according to the U.N. Humanitarian Office (OCHA).
The death toll could potentially rise to 500, as reported by local officials. OCHA noted that over 15,000 people need to be evacuated from the affected area.
The Ethiopian National Assembly declared a three-day national mourning period starting Saturday. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed his deep sorrow over the tragedy.
On Monday, many victims were laid to rest in the Kencho Shacha Gozdi district of the Gofa Zone, while rescue teams continued to search the abrupt terrain for survivors of the mudslides.
Images from the site depict residents standing over the shrouded bodies of mudslide victims being extracted one by one from the earth. Workers are using hand shovels to dig through the mud.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced on X that U.N. agencies are delivering food and vital supplies to support those impacted by the disaster.
Landslides frequently occur during Ethiopia’s rainy season, which spans from July to mid-September.
The broader East African region also frequently suffers from severe mudslides, affecting areas such as Uganda and Kenya.
In Kenya’s Rift Valley, flash floods and a landslide in April resulted in at least 45 deaths, damaged homes, and disrupted a major road.
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