A catastrophic landslide in Gofa Zone, South Ethiopia Sunday evening has killed more than 157 people.
Rescue attempt by the locals couldn't save the victims alive but five, and pulled out 157 bodies from muds.
The death toll may exceed the figure reported by the local officials.
Gofa Zone Administrator, Dagmawi Ayele, told EBC that the death toll has increased due to an additional danger to the people who risked their lives and went to the area to rescuing action and preventing further damage.
Teachers, health professionals and agricultural experts, police including the leaders of the kebele, who were at the scene early for the rescue work, became victims of the accident.
The situation became more saddening when another similar incident unexpectedly happened in a closer vicinity while efforts to evacuate residents from danger-prone areas were being made, according to the administrator.
The local community, the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, the Southern Ethiopian Red Cross Society, the South Ethiopian Regional Disaster Risk Management Office and experts from neighboring regions and zones arrived at the disaster scene and are providing support to the victims.
So far, 5 people have been able to leave the area alive and they are being monitored at medical facilities, Dagmawi said.
Rescue operation is being carried out only by human power, called on all Ethiopians to give any kind of support and attention needed for further rescue work to the victims, he urged.