The death toll from a landslide in southern Ethiopia has risen to 102, regional officials said on Thursday, after the disaster struck the Gamo Zone overnight on March 11.

The disaster hit Gacho Baba district in the Gamo Zone after days of heavy rainfall triggered a massive landslide in the area’s highlands.

The Gamo Zone local communications office said that although 102 people are now believed dead, recovery teams have so far retrieved 52 bodies from thick mud and debris.

Tilahun Kebede, chief administrator of the South Ethiopia Region, said authorities have mobilised an emergency response as search operations and humanitarian assistance intensify, expressing deep condolences and solidarity with residents while affirming that government support will be unwavering.

Vulnerable to landslides during rainy season

“Search efforts and the delivery of support will continue with full force,” Kebede said, adding that the regional Disaster Risk Management Council has formed several task forces to coordinate relief efforts and plan longer-term rehabilitation for survivors.

The landslide has created major logistical challenges for rescuers, according to Demis Admasu, chief administrator of the Gamo Zone, who said heavy machinery is being deployed to clear roads buried by mud and debris, allowing emergency teams to reach remote hillside communities with food, medicine, and shelter supplies.

Highland areas in southern Ethiopia are particularly vulnerable to landslides during the country’s rainy season, when prolonged rainfall weakens soil and destabilises slopes.

Emergency crews remain at the site, and officials say the death toll could rise as more areas of the landslide are cleared and search operations continue.