Mudslides in Ethiopia have killed at least 229. It’s not clear how many people are still missing
PBS NewsHourJul 20
Twin Ethiopia Landslides Kill Over 200
Above: Gamo Gofa Zone, Ganta, Ethiopia on June 15, 2017 in Ganta, Ethiopia. Image copyright: Eric Lafforgue/Art In All Of Us/Corbis News via Getty Images
The Facts
At least 229 people have died after two landslides, triggered by heavy rains, occurred in quick succession in southern Ethiopia.
A landslide buried people in the Kencho Shacha Gozdi district of southern Ethiopia on Sunday evening, while a second trapped people as rescue operations were ongoing on Monday morning.
The Spin
Narrative A
Southern Ethiopia is prone to the cascading effects of landslides because it's primarily a rural and mountainous region battered by malnutrition, a lack of clean water, disease outbreaks, economic hardships, and armed conflict. The country needs urgent funding to respond to natural or man-made disasters and build its capabilities.
Narrative B
Though this disaster occurred due to heavy rains, it will reoccur if Ethiopia doesn't adapt to its root cause — global warming and climate change, which make extreme rainfall more likely. It's crucial for the government to take action, make steep cuts to emissions, and pursue climate adaptation policies to avoid another catastrophe.