President Kagame apologizes to Ethiopia for cyclone that killed 229 people

Some of the land has been occupied

Paul Kagame, in a message sent on social media, said Rwanda stands with the Ethiopian people through this difficult time.

229 people have been identified as victims of floods caused by heavy rains in southern Ethiopia, Tuesday, July 23, 2024. According to the government, even now, the search for flood victims is ongoing.

The death toll from those landslides was significantly increased after a number of rescue workers died while trying to save people trapped under the mud, and was followed by another landslide that also killed a number of people, according to local authorities.

The leader of the affected area, Dagmawi Ayele, confirmed that young children and pregnant women were among the dead. He also said that at least five people survived the disaster and were rescued from the water.

Kassahun Abayneh, communications director for the affected Gofa region, said rescue operations to search for survivors and other missing people were still ongoing.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said via social media that he was deeply saddened by the deaths of all these people as it was a huge loss.

The storm is caused by heavy rain

A statement from the Ethiopian prime minister’s office said personnel from the Disaster Prevention and Control Center had been sent to the area to try to see if there were any rescue workers.

It was not immediately clear how many people were missing in the disaster, but Marcos Melese, head of Gorfa’s disaster management department, said many people involved in the rescue operation were missing.

Landslides are common in Ethiopia, especially during the rainy season which starts in July and is expected to end in September this year, Africa News reported.

My deepest condolences to the Prime Minister @AbiyAhmedAli is not following anyone. and the victims of the devastating landslides in southern Ethiopia that killed hundreds of people. Rwanda stands with the Ethiopian people and offers them support in this difficult time.

— Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) July 24, 2024