Ethiopia: at least 80 dead in floods; three days of national mourning declared

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), 13 March (LaPresse/AP) – Ethiopia has declared three days of national mourning for the at least 80 people killed in the floods and landslides that struck the Gamo region in the south of the country on Tuesday. Many people are still missing. Search and rescue operations have been ongoing for days, hampered by the continuous torrential rains that continue to batter the area. On Friday, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission stated that 3,461 people have been displaced due to the landslides. The Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives, Tagesse Chafo, announced that the three days of mourning will begin on Saturday. On Thursday, the Government Communications Service stated that the government is mobilising resources in coordination with regional authorities. Donations from private citizens and business organisations are pouring into a fund set up by the regional government to provide essential supplies to those affected.