Egypt Daily News – The death toll from a landslide in southern Ethiopia has risen to 229 people, according to what local authorities announced, raising questions about the reasons behind this.
Dr. Abbas Sharaqi, Professor of Geology and Water Resources at Cairo University, said that the rainy season begins in Ethiopia from June, while rains increase strongly in July, August and September.
He explained on his Facebook account that so far the rainfall rate is higher than average in many places in Ethiopia and Sudan.
He pointed out that with the intensity of the rain on Tuesday morning, landslides occurred in the Gofa region, southwest of Ethiopia, in the Ethiopian Rift region (part of the African Rift that passes through Ethiopia), where the mountainous areas are composed of several sloping ground layers.
Due to seismic activity, which causes it to absorb large amounts of rainwater, thus its weight increases, then it slides down the slope.
He added: “This movement increases if the upper layers have a layer of clay underneath them, which in this case acts as a silty material that helps with sliding.”
He explained that the geological nature of this region differs from the Renaissance Dam region, which lacks sedimentary layers, but it contains highly decomposed igneous and metamorphic rocks and cracks, and there are frequent floods, soil erosion, and rock collapses. Ethiopia ranks first in the world in soil erosion.
He said that the current rains and expectations for the next two months indicate an increase in the rate of rain in Sudan and Ethiopia, adding: “The brothers in most parts of Sudan, except for the northern strip on the Egyptian border, must prepare for the expected torrents and floods.
So far, 148 men and 81 women have died in the disaster, according to the Gofa District Communications Department.
The Gofa administrative region is located about 450 kilometers from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, and is a 10-hour drive away.
