My Family Went to Help Landslide Victims and Ended Up Dead
In the serene hills of southern Ethiopia’s Gofa district, a tragedy unfolded that would forever alter the lives of many families. Meselesh Gosaye, a devoted mother of six, was tending to her children in their hilltop home when the earth beneath her community gave way, unleashing a devastating landslide that trapped countless villagers in its merciless grip.
The Call to Action
On that fateful Sunday, the sounds of despair echoed through the air as screams pierced the tranquility of the hills. Meselesh, overwhelmed with fear and determination, rushed down the slope with her husband and some of her children, driven by the instinct to help those in peril. “When we reached there, we saw the earth had swallowed the houses,” she recounted, her voice trembling with emotion.
The locality of Kencho Satcha Gozdi, characterized by its mud-walled, tin-roofed homes precariously perched on lush slopes, was no stranger to natural disasters. Heavy rains had rendered the narrow paths treacherous, yet the community’s spirit remained unbroken. Villagers, armed with nothing but their bare hands and shovels, began the arduous task of digging through the mud, hoping to unearth survivors.
A Second Catastrophe
As the hours passed, the grim reality set in. Despite their efforts, only a few were rescued alive, while many remained trapped beneath the debris. Recognizing the need for more manpower, local officials called for every able-bodied adult and older child to join the rescue efforts, urging them to gather farming tools to aid in the search.
Meselesh’s husband and two eldest sons, aged 15 and 12, immediately joined the fray, while she returned home briefly to care for her youngest child. However, tragedy struck again when a second landslide occurred, burying many of those who had come to help. Meselesh was stopped from rushing to the scene, reminded that she still had children to care for.
The Heart-Wrenching Search
In the days that followed, the community was engulfed in grief as news of the double tragedy spread. Hundreds flocked to the site, searching for their loved ones amidst the chaos. Meselesh, in a moment of despair, witnessed diggers pulling a body from the mud. “I thought it was my husband. I started helping,” she recalled, only to discover the unthinkable—her husband had perished, still clutching the axe he had taken to assist others.
As the bodies of the deceased were recovered, Meselesh faced an agonizing choice. With her two sons still missing, she was torn between following her husband’s body and remaining behind in search of her children. The heartache deepened when the body of her 12-year-old son was found, while her 15-year-old remained unaccounted for.
A Community in Mourning
The toll of the disaster was staggering. Official reports confirmed 257 deaths, with estimates suggesting the final count could reach 500 as recovery efforts continued. The community, once vibrant and full of life, was now a landscape of sorrow, with families grappling with the loss of loved ones.
Serawit Yohannes, a local resident, expressed the collective grief, stating that many were unable to assist in the search for others, as they were preoccupied with finding their own missing family members. The United Nations reported that 15,000 people would need to be relocated to prevent future tragedies, a daunting task requiring significant resources and effort.
The Long Road to Healing
For Meselesh, the path to closure is fraught with pain. “How I suffered giving birth to my children, raising them, educating them. It’s so sad for me,” she lamented, her heart heavy with grief. The community’s healing will take time, as they navigate the aftermath of this catastrophic event.
As the search for the missing continues, the resilience of the people of Gofa district shines through the darkness. They stand united in their sorrow, determined to support one another as they rebuild their lives in the wake of unimaginable loss.