The tragic toll from landslides that devastated Ethiopia’s Gofa Zone earlier this week continues to climb.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Thursday that the death count has reached a staggering 257, with fears of the number doubling.
Torrential rains triggered the initial landslide on Sunday night, burying countless people.
A subsequent landslide on Monday compounded the disaster, claiming the lives of those involved in rescue efforts.
Local authorities have warned that the final figure could be as high as 500.
Dagmawi Ayele, an administrator for the Gofa Zone, described the harrowing scene, stating that rescuers have recovered 226 bodies thus far.
The search for the remaining 20 missing individuals is ongoing, but ongoing rains have hampered recovery efforts.
The Ethiopian National Disaster Risk Management Commission had previously reported a lower death toll of 229.
As the full extent of the catastrophe becomes clear, the international community is bracing for a humanitarian crisis of immense proportions.
