Rubbish landslide kills 46 in Ethiopia
Most of the dead are children and women, says official
ADDIS ABABA // Forty- six people were killed and dozens left missing under a landslide at a massive rubbish dump on the outskirts of Ethiopia’s capital. Addis Ababa city spokeswoman Dagmawit Moges said most of the dead were women and children, and more bodies were expected to be found in the coming hours. It was not clear what caused Saturday night’s landslide at the Koshe Garbage Landfill, which buried several makeshift homes and concrete buildings.
The landfill has been a dumping ground for the capital’s rubbish for more than 50 years.
About 150 people were at the dump when the landslide occurred, said resident Assefa Teklemahimanot. Addis Ababa mayor Diriba Kuma said 37 people had been rescued and were receiving medical treatment. Two had serious injuries. Many people at the landfill had been scavenging items to make a living, but others live there because renting homes at the dump – most of which are built of mud and sticks – is relatively inexpensive.
Following the landslide, elderly women cried, and others stood anxiously waiting for news of loved ones.
Six excavators dug through the ruins. “My house was right inside there,” said a shaken Tebeju Asres, pointing to where one of the excavators was digging in deep, black mud. “My mother and three of my sisters were there when the landslide happened. Now I don’t know the fate of all of them.” The landslide was probably caused by the resumption of dumping at the site in recent months, said resident Assefa. Dumping, which had halted for a number of years, resumed after farmers in a nearby restive region blocked rubbish being left in their area.