ADDIS ABABA - The death toll from two landslides in southern Ethiopia has jumped to 229 and could rise further as the search for survivors and casualties continued into a second day, a government official said on Tuesday. A landslide buried people in Gofa zone in Southern Ethiopia regional state on Sunday night, then a second one engulfed others who had gathered to help on Monday morning. We are still recovering bodies," Markos Melese, head of the National Disaster Response agency in Gofa Zone, told Reuters by phone. On Monday an official said at least 50 people had died and children and police officers were among the dead. "The death toll surged after the people who came to rescue also got trapped," said Gofa district administrator Misikir Mitiku.

Source: Ethiopian News July 23, 2024 16:22 UTC