The Ethiopian parliament has declared three days of national mourning period beginning on Saturday after devastating landslides in the southern Gofa zone killed 257 lives last Monday.
Accordingly, the parliament in its official statement on Friday said that the Ethiopian national flag will be flown at half-mast across the country, on Ethiopian ships, and at embassies and consulates worldwide.
The parliament also extended its condolences to the victims’ families and the Ethiopian people, aiming to honor the memory of those who perished in the tragedy.
As of now, 257 deaths have been confirmed, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) anticipating that the death toll could rise to 500.
The devastation, caused by heavy rains on July 21 and 22 in Gezei Gofa Woreda, has left over 15,000 people in urgent need of evacuation, according to the UN office.
Landslides in southern Ethiopia are a recurrent issue during the rainy season, which lasts from June to August.
Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing under the leadership of federal and local authorities with the support from humanitarian agencies and local community members.
MG/as/APA