Ethiopia has announced a three-day period of national mourning starting Saturday to honor the victims of a catastrophic landslide that claimed over 250 lives in a remote southern locality. The disaster, which struck Kencho Shacha Gozdi, has been described as the deadliest landslide on record in the Horn of Africa nation.

Rescue and Recovery Efforts:
Rescuers continue the search for additional victims, while survivors are engaged in the solemn task of burying those who perished. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that 257 people have been confirmed dead, with the possibility that the death toll could rise to 500.

Government Response:
In response to the tragedy, Ethiopia’s House of Peoples’ Representatives has declared a three-day national mourning period. The announcement, made on Friday, aims to provide comfort to the victims’ families and the nation as a whole. The period of remembrance will commence on Saturday.

The Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission has stated that humanitarian aid and rehabilitation efforts are already underway. A new emergency response structure has been established to manage the crisis, with an estimated 6,000 people needing relocation.

Aid and Evacuation:
According to OCHA, over 15,000 individuals, including children and pregnant women, need to be evacuated due to the ongoing risk of further landslides. Aid has begun arriving, including shipments from the Ethiopian Red Cross Society.

The landslide occurred after heavy rains on Sunday in an area approximately 480 kilometers (300 miles) from the capital, Addis Ababa. Many victims were caught in a subsequent landslide while attempting to assist those affected by the initial disaster.

International Response:
International condolences have poured in from various organizations, including the African Union, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is Ethiopian.

Context:
Ethiopia frequently faces climate-related disasters, with over 21 million people—about 18% of the population—relying on humanitarian aid due to ongoing conflicts, flooding, and droughts.