At least 30 people have tragically died following a series of landslides and flash floods in the highland areas of Gamo Zone, located in the South Ethiopia Regional State. These devastating events were precipitated by continuous and unseasonal heavy rainfall that occurred between the night of March 9 and the early morning of March 11, 2026, impacting several kebeles across three distinct woredas within the region.

Among the victims, a mother and her two children were instantly killed when a landslide struck their home in Yela Kebele of Bonke Woreda. The father, however, survived the ordeal, sustaining serious injuries, and is currently receiving medical treatment at Bonke Gazeso Health Center. Further fatalities were reported, with two individuals succumbing to sudden flooding in Balta town in Kamba Zuria Woreda, and six others losing their lives in a landslide in Mazo Doysa Kebele of Gacho Baba Woreda.

The widespread impact of the disaster has been profound, as debris from landslides and floodwaters has effectively blocked public transport routes, severely disrupting movement and significantly complicating ongoing rescue operations in the affected zones. Mesfin Manuko, who heads the Gamo Zone Disaster Risk Management Office, described the consequences of the heavy rainfall in Bonke and Gacho Baba woredas as "devastating." Additionally, the overflow of the Kulfo and Sego rivers has caused considerable damage to crucial institutions and infrastructure in Arba Minch city and its adjacent districts.

Regional authorities have issued urgent warnings, indicating that the threat of further disasters remains high as the seasonal Belg rains continue. Wogene Bizuneh, commissioner of the South Ethiopia Region Disaster Risk Management and Food Security Commission, informed the Ethiopian News Agency that the ongoing rainfall could trigger additional landslides in mountainous areas. These vulnerable regions include Gamo, Wolayta, South Omo, Konso, Gedeo, and Gofa zones, with a concurrent risk of flooding in lowland areas.

In response to the crisis, the zonal administration has extended its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and is actively coordinating with various humanitarian organizations and the private sector to provide essential emergency assistance to affected residents. Furthermore, authorities have strongly urged communities residing in high-risk areas—specifically Kola Shele, Shele Mela, and Elgo kebeles in Arba Minch Zuria Woreda, as well as Balta Kebele in Kamba Zuria—to maintain extreme vigilance. Residents have been advised to carefully watch for critical warning signs such as ground cracks or the sudden emergence of water springs, and to promptly relocate to safer ground away from riverbanks and steep slopes during periods of intense rainfall.

This latest calamity echoes a series of deadly landslides that have plagued southern Ethiopia, consistently linked to intense rainfall. In August 2024, landslides in the Kawo Koyisha district of Wolayita Zone resulted in 11 deaths, with five other individuals reported missing as rescue teams sifted through debris. Earlier in the same year, consecutive landslides in the Geze Gofa district of Gofa Zone claimed at least 257 lives after days of torrential rain. Local authorities and disaster officials continue to reiterate that communities in mountainous and flood-prone areas remain acutely vulnerable as heavy rains persist across parts of southern Ethiopia.