The death toll from two landslides in southern Ethiopia has risen to 146. Among the dead were children. Landslides occurred in the interior of Ethiopia following heavy rains.
The local administrator, Dagmawi Ayele, said the dead included infants and pregnant women. Head of Gofa Zone Communication Office, Kasahun Abayne, said rescue operations following the disaster are still ongoing. Rescuers were searching the steep terrain when another landslide occurred.
It is reported that many people have been injured. Ayele said at least five people were pulled out alive from the muddy ground. AFP news agency, citing Gofa officials, reported at least 146 dead, while the Associated Press news agency said the death toll rose from 55 to 157.
Initially, three families were buried in the landslide. The search for the bodies is still going on. But as the rescuers also got stuck, the death toll rose.
Parliamentarian Kemal Hashi Mohamed told Al Jazeera from Addis Ababa that the second landslide occurred a few minutes after the first.
