At least 13 people were killed and the death toll was expected to rise after heavy rains triggered a landslide in the Wolayta region of southern Ethiopia, a local official said on Monday.
Wolaita Chief Zone Administrator Samuel Phola said more than 300 people had been evacuated from the Kindo Dide district, and the number of missing was still unknown.
“The dead include children,” Phola said. “We have evacuated more than 300 people as a precaution and because of the possibility of a major landslide.”
According to the regional government, intensive rescue operations are currently underway in Wolayta.
Monday's landslide was less devastating than one in another region of southern Ethiopia last month that killed more than 200 people.
Landslides occur frequently during Ethiopia’s rainy season, which begins in July and is expected to last until mid-September.
The mountainous areas of Wolayta, where infrastructure is limited, are particularly vulnerable to such incidents.
A deadly landslide in the same area in 2016 resulted in the death of more than 41 people and displacement of hundreds.
Last month, a massive landslide in the neighbouring Gamo Gofa region killed more than 229 people, and the UN human rights office (OCHA) estimates the number could reach 500.
Deadly landslides are common in the East African region, from the eastern mountains of Uganda to the central highlands of Kenya. In April, flash floods and landslides in Kenya's Rift Valley region killed at least 45 people, damaged homes and cut off a major road.
Nancy Quickly
Source: Africa News
What should I follow:
Source link
