ETHIOPIA: Pope Francis Condoles with Victims of Ethiopia’s Landslide Tragedy

Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

Nearly a week after the heavy rains caused a major landslide that buried hundreds of people in the remote Gofa zone of Southern Ethiopia, the Holy Father Pope Francis has sent a message of condolences and closeness to victims and families affected promising prayers.

“Dear brothers and sisters, I assure my prayer for the victims of the major landslide that has swept through a village in the south of Ethiopia. I am close to that sorely tried population, and to those who are bringing relief,” Pope Francis said in his Sunday, July 28, message after the Angelus.

The deadly landslide which buried hundreds of people in Gezei Gofa Woreda, was caused by heavy rains on Sunday, July 21, and the following day Monday, July 22, a second landslide buried those who were offering rescue services.

In a report from the Ethiopian Catholic Church-Social and Development Commission (ECC-SDCO) shared with AMECEA Online, the tragically claimed more than 230 individuals.

Besides the loss of lives reads part of the report, “the disaster has profoundly affected over 50,000 people. This large number includes those who have been displaced, those who have sustained injuries, and individuals who have lost their homes and livelihoods.”

Members of ECC-SDCO note that about 5,776 households are in urgent need of resettlement due to the extensive damage. 596 households have been evacuated and within the evacuated households, 1,367 children are vulnerable and in need of immediate support and care.

As the Holy Father prays for the landslide survivors, affected families, and the souls of the victims who died, he condemns the continued production of weapons which is harmful to the population.

“While there are many people in the world who suffer due to disasters and hunger, we continue to produce and sell weapons and burn resources fuelling wars, large and small” Pope Francis said and continued, “This is an outrage that the international community should not tolerate.”