More than 200 people have been killed in two landslides in southern Ethiopia, authorities said. The first landslide, triggered by heavy rains in a remote region of Gofa zone, occurred on Monday and was followed by a second one that buried people who had gathered to help, state officials said on Tuesday.
At least 148 men and 81 women were killed after the disaster struck in the Kencho-Shacha locality in the Gofa Zone on Monday, the local Communications Affairs Department said in a statement. Alemayehu Bawdi, Southern Regional State representative, confirmed the death toll and said "search and rescue efforts are ongoing”.Five people were pulled alive from the mud and were receiving treatment at medical facilities, the government-owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reported earlier. Most of those killed were buried after they went to help the inhabitants of a house hit by an initial landslide. (Agencies) page 6