ADDIS ABABA: Rescuers aided by drones were continuing a desperate search on Wednesday (Jul 24) for possible survivors of devastating landslides in an isolated area of southern Ethiopia that have killed 229 people and affected thousands more. About 14,000 people need to be evacuated from the area urgently because of the risk of further landslides, a UN source told AFP. Senait Solomon, head of communications for the South Ethiopia regional government, said eight people had been pulled from the mud alive and taken to medical facilities for treatment. Seasonal rains in South Ethiopia state between April and early May had caused flooding, mass displacement and damage to livelihoods and infrastructure, it had said in May. The deadliest landslide in Africa was in Sierra Leone's capital in Freetown in August 2017, when 1,141 people perished.
