Deadly Landslides Ravage Southern Ethiopia Amid Heavy Rains

A landslide caused by heavy rain in Wolaita, southern Ethiopia, resulted in at least 13 fatalities, with numbers potentially increasing. Over 300 people have been evacuated from Kindo Didaye district. The incident highlights the region's vulnerability during the rainy season, with similar events causing significant casualties historically.

A landslide triggered by heavy rains in southern Ethiopia's Wolaita area has killed at least 13 people, and the death toll is expected to rise, confirmed a local official on Monday.

Samuel Fola, the zone chief administrator of Wolaita, stated that more than 300 individuals have been evacuated from Kindo Didaye district, with many still unaccounted for. "Children are among the dead,'' Fola noted. "We have now evacuated over 300 people as a precaution to prevent further casualties from another potential major landslide.'' The regional government has initiated a frantic rescue effort in the Wolaita area.

The recent landslide was reportedly less deadly than one last month in another area of southern Ethiopia, where over 200 people were killed. Landslides frequently occur in Ethiopia during the rainy season, spanning from July to mid-September.

The mountainous regions of Wolaita are particularly prone to such disasters due to inadequate infrastructure. In a similar incident in 2016, heavy rains caused a mudslide that resulted in over 41 deaths and displaced hundreds. Last month, a major mudslide in neighboring Gamo Gofa claimed more than 229 lives, with the United Nations Office for Human Rights estimating the death toll could be as high as 500.

Deadly mudslides are common across the East African region, affecting areas from Uganda's mountainous east to central Kenya's highlands. A recent event in Kenya's Rift Valley region in April saw flash floods and a landslide kill at least 45 people.

(With inputs from agencies.)