The first landslide struck the village in the Geze district between 8:30 and 9 a.m. on Monday, said Habtamu Fetena, who heads the local government’s emergency response.
Nearly 300 people from two neighboring villages ran to the area to help and began digging through the mud by hand, he said Tuesday.
Then about an hour later, without warning, more mud slid down the hillside above the village, and killed many of those trying to help.
“They had no clue that the land they were standing on was about to swallow them,” Mr. Fetena said.
The village hit by the landslides lies in a region that is increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including long droughts followed by strong storms and more frequent and intense rainfalls, experts said.
Persons:
Habtamu Fetena, “, ” Mr, Fetena
Locations:
Ethiopia, Geze