German court orders stronger action to tackle air pollution

A German court has mandated that the federal government enhance its air quality standards to meet European pollution targets. The ruling found in favor of an environmental NGO that had sued the Scholz government.

German heavy industry and lignite-fired  (COAL) power stations present major hurdles for air pollution targets

Image: S. Ziese/blickwinkel/IMAGO

A German court ruled on Tuesday that the federal government must strengthen its National Air Quality Program in order to meet European targets for reducing air pollution.

The Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg ruled in favor of the NGO Environmental Action Germany (DUH), who had sued Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government.

The ruling follows a similar decision from May that said the government need to improve its overall climate protection plans.

According to Tuesday's decision, the government must step up efforts to reduce ammonia, particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide in the air.

However, they are allowed to appeal the decision to the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig.

Eco-solutions in the air and on the ground   26:06

Germans shun foreign electric cars

The ruling came the same day as a Handelsblatt Research Institute study which found that Germans overwhelming prefer domestic electric cars to cheaper Chinese models.

The survey, conducted for consultancy firm Bearing Point, found that German consumers preferred Volkswagen electric cars overall, followed closely by Mercedes and BMW.

Chinese brands and US-based Tesla, which recently opened a massive factory in Germany, fell well behind as the government tries to push the car-loving country to go electric.

es/lo (dpa, Reuters)

COVID-19: German gov't suffers defeat in 'face mask scandal'

Sabine Kinkartz  

DW

JULY 23, 2024

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, German Health Minister Jens Spahn offered to pay high prices for protective masks. He later tried to backtrack, but a court has now ruled the government will have to foot the bill.

CDU politician Jens Spahn was Federal Health Minister from 2018 to 2021

Image: Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture alliance
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Germany's government has received some bad news at a time of tricky budget negotiations.

The Higher Regional Court in Cologne has ruled in favor of a supplier of protective face masks, which the Federal Health Ministry ordered in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but later refused to accept or pay for. The judges ruled that the ministry should pay €85 million ($92 million), plus €33 million in default interest.

The ruling may well have a knock-on effect, as another 100 similar lawsuits are pending in court. If the Health Ministry is defeated in these cases, it could face a record loss of €2.3 billion in total.

The mask purchases are already considered one of the biggest tax wastage scandals in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany.

This smart masks monitors your breath  03:25

Jens Spahn's (mis-) calculation

A look back: In March 2020, the world was literally overrun by COVID-19. A vaccine was still months away, and medical protective gear was dwindling. Respiratory masks with the FFP2, KN95 or N95 standard, which are supposed to provide reliable protection against the virus, were in desperately short supply and there was a worldwide rush to stock up.

"China, the producer of around 80% of such masks at the time, was in lockdown and had stopped exports," recalled Simone Borchardt, a lawmaker for the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) which led the government at the time. "In Germany, we even developed guidelines on how we could use masks several times and whether they could be washed, that's how crazy it was back then," Borchardt told the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, during a debate in June.

In this situation, then Health Minister Jens Spahn decided to procure masks in a sort of "open house" procedure. In this process, the relevant government body signs contracts with all interested companies so every provider gets a chance.

Spahn's thinking was that in the global competition for masks, he only had to set the price high enough to make sure Germany would get the goods. Contrary to the recommendation of his ministry officials, who considered a price of €3 (about $3.25 today) per mask to be appropriate, Spahn set the price at €4.50 for FFP2 masks, and at €0.60 for surgical masks. The response exceeded expectations and, in the end, the ministry found itself having placed orders for 5.7 billion masks.

"The price was set far too high," said Martina Stamm-Fibich, from the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), which was the junior coalition partner to Spahn's CDU at the time and currently heads the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz. "In my view, this already raises the question of how it was possible to calculate prices without taking market developments into account and who bears the political responsibility for this," Stamm-Fibich said in the Bundestag.

What is the environmental impact of FFP2 face masks?  03:55

Four years later, Spahn is now on the defensive: "With the knowledge of today, I would make some decisions differently, without a doubt," he admitted in the debate. "And yes, in hindsight I cannot recommend the 'open house procedure' in such a situation."

However, he argued, he had to make decisions quickly in desperate times: human lives were at stake and medical staff were demanding protection.

"We procured masks. Were they expensive? Yes. Was it chaotic at times? Yes. It was the same for every country in the world," Spahn said. "I don't recall anyone warning at the time to make sure the price isn't too high, but I know a lot of people who said: 'Get masks at any price'."

Did the Health Ministry miscalculate?

The Health Ministry's calculation was that with 5 million health care workers needing two masks a day, more than 3 billion masks would be needed each year.

However, in the end, only 1.7 billion of the ordered masks were distributed. As early as 2023, 1.2 billion protective masks were destroyed because their expiry date had passed.

What Spahn hasn't said is that the Health Ministry must have come to the conclusion early on that it had miscalculated. The "open house" procedure was abruptly ended in May 2023 and ministry officials were trying to find ways to get out of as many contracts as possible.

An opportunity arose when some companies failed to deliver the expected quality. In these cases, the ministry unilaterally withdrew from the purchase contract. The same happened to suppliers who were unable to deliver on time, or only provided a part of the masks on the agreed date. The purchase contracts referred to a "fixed deal," claiming all contractual obligations would cease after the delivery date had passed.

Germany faces budget crisis after court ruling  02:01

However, it's precisely this clause that the Higher Regional Court in Cologne has now declared invalid. The judges found that suppliers had been put at an "unreasonable disadvantage" and the ministry should have been more flexible and set a shorter subsequent deadline.

The Health Ministry now wants to have the case clarified at the highest level by the Federal Court of Justice. If the court rejects the case, the Cologne ruling will become legally binding and is likely to have an impact on the other court proceedings — with the corresponding financial consequences.

Ongoing reappraisal of COVID-19 measures

Beyond the legal struggle, the political debate also continues — and it goes far beyond the prices of medical masks. Were the government's COVID measures, with their deep and far-reaching encroachments on fundamental rights, justified? What lessons can be learned from the pandemic, and what should be done differently in the future?

However, the parties of the ruling center-left coalition government — the SPD, Greens and the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) — have not yet been able to agree on what form a reappraisal would be appropriate. All three parties are in favor of a citizens' council. The Greens and the FDP are also pushing for the establishment of a commission of inquiry in the Bundestag, allowing lawmakers and experts to be heard and make recommendations for further procedures.

This article was originally written in German.

Is Laos facing a China debt trap?

China has financed major infrastructure projects in Laos, but the return on investment has yet to overcome the small country's mounting debt problems.

Tommy Walker in Bangkok

DW

JULY 23, 2024

China-funded hydroelectric dam projects in Laos have yet to bear economic fruit

Image: Dieter Mendzigall/imago images


As part of its Belt and Road Initiative, China has provided Laos with billions of dollars in loans to develop energy infrastructure and high-speed rail lines in the hopes of bolstering long-term economic growth.

China-funded hydroelectric dams on the Mekong River, and other energy infrastructure, aimed to make Laos the "battery" of Southeast Asia. However, both China-funded projects have yet to see the economic returns Laos had hoped for.

And recent economic data show Laos is facing a mountain of debt, with $13.8 billion in total public and publicly guaranteed debt at the end of 2023, which is over 100% of the tiny country's GDP.

Loans from China, Laos' biggest creditor, amounted to half of Laos' $10.5 billion foreign debt, according to data published in Bloomberg.

Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington who focuses on Southeast Asia, says Laos has a major debt problem.

"It's not just debt to China. Laos has a crushing amount of debt. Debt in itself is not bad if it is going to productive uses, but Lao debt has not. They have over capacity in hydroelectricity," he told DW.

"The rail line has been an absolute white elephant, although now with a connection to Bangkok, it should have greater returns. All of that has led to a 30% decline in its currency's value in 2023 and soaring inflation, which is now the second highest in the region," he added.

Laos: A country in the grip of the Chinese?  06:54

Chinese loans not the only problem for Laos

China has said it's "doing its best" to help Laos with its debt burden, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson told Bloomberg.

Laos keeps close ties with China, with which it shares a similar political ideology. The Laos government is run as a Communist one-party state, ruled by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

Beijing has been criticized by experts for its so-called "debt-trap diplomacy" by financing big-ticket projects in developing countries that end up struggling with huge Chinese loans and become economically dependent.

China's Foreign Ministry frequently this, calling such claims a US-led narrative aiming to deter Beijing's goals at working with developing nations.

Abuza said the Laotian government must shoulder some of the responsibility for its economic mess.

"China is not all to blame. The blame needs to go to the Laos government that took on too much debt for projects that did not deliver the economic returns that they anticipated," he said.

The expert added that Chinese loans "are not cheap" and come in at 4% interest, which is high for development projects. He added Japan and the World Bank usually charge under 1%.

"China's argument is that they are a lender of last resort and assume high political risk. Because most Chinese Belt and Road Initiative loans are through state-owned enterprises or state-owned banks, they are collateralized, which means that should Laos default, they will lose either money parked in Bank of China escrow accounts, or they will lose assets in debt for equity swaps," he said.

China has funded a 500-kilometer-long high-speed rail line in Laos

Image: Oliver Raw/DW

Economic woes affect ordinary Laotians

Overall, Laos' economy has struggled since the COVID pandemic, with rising inflation, a weak exchange rate against and sluggish GDP growth.

In June, inflation in Laos to over 26% in June 2024, slightly up from May's reading of 25.7%

The World Bank says Laos' grew by 3.7% in 2023 with a forecasted 4% in 2024. Prior to the pandemic, growth was 5.5%.

One Laotian, who requested to be anonymous for security concerns, said ordinary people in Laos are starting to feel the burden of economic downturn, with public services, road maintenance, education and health services all lacking.

"Since COVID, many small businesses have been closed, and many have not been reopened. Those who have some land have resorted to growing their own food and going back to a subsistence form of livelihood," they said.

They added most Laotians do not connect economic woes to debt.

"Most people will not know the scale of the debt, nor will they associate the debt to Chinaas having any direct impact on their lives," they said. "They will associate their daily challenges with the downturn of the Lao economy which had started since Covid and has continued even after. They experience the rising costs of living."

Edited by: Wesley Rahn

Nepal: Plane crashes in Kathmandu with 19 on board

The Saurya Airlines plane was operating a test flight from the capital, Kathmandu, to the tourist hub of Pokhara. Nepal's military said that rescue work is ongoing.

ITS NOT RESCUE ITS RETRIVAL OF DEAD BODIES

The incident occurred when the plane skidded off the runway in Kathmandu

Image: Navesh Chitrakar/REUTERS


A plane crash in Nepal killed all 18 passengers on board on Wednesday and left the pilot injured, police said.

The Saurya Airlines plane crashed during take-off on a test flight from Nepal's capital of Kathmandu to Pokhara.

"Eighteen bodies have been recovered, including one foreigner," police spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki told the AFP news agency.

"We are in the process of taking them for post-mortem."

The Nepali military responded to the fatal crash

Image: NepaliArmyHQ via X/via REUTERS

Kathmandu airport general manager Jagannath Niroula told AFP further details were "still being confirmed."

Footage of the incident showed a large smoke plume with firefighters at the scene.

"Rescue work is going on," Nepal's military said.

Saurya Airlines operates the Bombardier CRJ 200 regional jet on domestic routesImage: Agniia Galdanova/AP/picture alliance

Nepal's air safety record

Saurya Airlines operates the Bombardier CRJ 200 regional jet on domestic routes.

Nepal's aviation sector has a poor safety record due to insufficient training and maintenance.

The European Union has banned all Nepali airlines from its airspace.

More to follow...

zc/rm (AFP, Reuters, AP)

LAS MALVINAS

Falkland Islands: At least six dead after fishing boat sinks

A fishing vessel carrying 27 sunk off the Falklands, killing at least six people while seven others are missing. Rescuers found fourteen people and took them to a hospital in Stanley.

Ten off those on board were Spanish.

Image: Steven Heap/Zoonar/picture alliance

Officials from the UK and Spain said Tuesday that a fishing boat carrying 27 people had sunk off the Falkland Islands, with six dead and seven others missing.

The boat sank about 320 kilometers (199 miles) off the Falkland Islands east of Argentina. The archipelago is controlled by Britain, but Argentina claims it as its own and calls it Las Malvinas.

Rescue operations

Fourteen people made it onto a life raft and were rescued by two other fishing boats that were nearby, said Spanish authorities.

Authorities from Spain's Pontevedra province said 10 of the crew members were from Spain. There were other nationalities on the ship as well.

The Argentinian navy said strong winds and waves had damaged the vessel, causing water to rapidly fill the hull.

Authorities in the Falklands said they received an emergency signal on Monday from the vessel known as Argos Georgia. It was sailing at a speed of 35 knots (40 mph, 65 kmph) when the signal was sent, said monitoring site MarineTraffic.com.

The boat was sailing east of Stanley, the capital of the Falklands.

A helicopter spotted survivors on Monday. Another aircraft and other vessels were deployed for a rescue operation, which had to be suspended earlier due to rough wind and waters and low visibility. Efforts were resumed on Tuesday.

Fourteen people were taken to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in Stanley for treatment.

The vessel built in 2018 was managed by Argos Froyanes Ltd., a privately owned joint British-Norwegian company, and was sailing under the flag of St. Helena, another of Britain's overseas territories.

"Our crew members are true professionals and have regular training for such a situation. We trust in their ability to use the safety equipment to the best of their ability," the company said in a statement.

In 1982, Britain had gained territorial rights within 200 miles of the archipelago after its victory over Argentina in a war that has soured relations between the two nations to this day.

When the Argos Georgia called for help, Britain said they had dispatched boats and a helicopter to the scene, without mentioning any coordination with Argentina.

The Argentinian navy also said it received the distress call and responded to it. Argentina said it deployed fishing boats and life rafts "to rescue survivors despite extreme weather conditions."

tg/jsi (AFP, AP, Reuters)

Nigeria lawmakers double minimum wage after labor dispute

The Senate agreed to raise the minimum wage after pressure from trade unions. However, the increase is only a small reprieve amid runaway inflation.

Labor unions have said that the minimum wage increase is not enough, but accepted the deal to end a long-running dispute

Image: Sunday Alamba/AP

Lawmakers in Nigeria's Senate passed legislation on Tuesday to increase the monthly minimum wage more than twofold.

The bill increases the minimum wage to 70,000 naira ($44.16, €40.69), up from the 30,000 naira that was agreed in 2019.

President Bola Tinubu must still give his assent for the law to come into full effect.

Lawmakers also agreed to shorten the review period until the next possible minimum wage increase, from five years down to three years.

Minimum wage pales in comparison to rising inflation

The legislation comes after a monthslong dispute between the government and Nigeria's two major unions, the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

They argued that soaring prices and a weak currency had thrown workers into a cost-of-living crisis.

Since coming to office, Tinubu has removed fuel subsidies in a move that has seen gasoline prices more than double.

Inflation reached 34.1% last month, the highest rate in three decades. At the same time, the unification of the country's various exchange rates has devalued the naira, making imports more expensive.

How Nigeria's economic woes impede access to medications  02:32

Corruption and poverty in Nigeria

The bill was passed in the Senate and the lower parliament without any opposition.

Nigerian newspaper The Punch reported that the unions had originally proposed a minimum wage of nearly 500,000 naira, which they later brought down to 250,000 naira.

Disputes over the amount triggered strikes that brought Africa's most populous nation to a halt.

After meeting with President Tinubu earlier in the month, the labor leaders accepted the sum of 70,000 naira.

But the unions accepted the offer with "mixed feelings," NLC President Joe Ajaero said on Thursday.

Nigeria is a major oil exporter, but it remains one of the world's poorest countries. The natural wealth is often diverted by corrupt officials to fund lavish lifestyles.

President Tinubu gave his approval to spend millions of dollars on sport utility vehicles last year, with his wife being among the beneficiaries, despite not holding any constitutionally recognized office.

ab/fb (Reuters, AP)

ISLAMOPHOBIA

Germany shuts down Islamic Center Hamburg

The Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) was under investigation for several months over its alleged support for Lebanon's Hezbollah group which is backed by Iran. Hezbollah is classified as a terrorist group by Germany.

Hamburg's Blue Mosque has connections to the Iranian regime

 Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa/picture alliance

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said on Wednesday that the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) would be banned for propagating extremism and that its famous "Blue Mosque" was being searched by police.

"It is very important to me to make a clear distinction here: we are not acting against a religion," Faeser said, but just against a group accused of undermining the German state as well as women's rights.

The Imam Ali Mosque, known locally as the Blue Mosque, is one of Germany's oldest mosques and is operated by the IZH.

What is the Islamic Center of Hamburg?

The IZH is an organization that is considered an extension of the Iranian regime in Germany and is thought to have a large influence over certain mosques and associations, according to Germany's domestic intelligence services.

The Interior Ministry said Wednesday that the Blue Mosque has ties to the government of Iran and its activities were aimed at spreading Iranian revolutionary ideas.

The Interior Ministry last year said the IZH was suspected of "acting against constitutional order" and of "supporting [the] terror organization Hezbollah."

In 2020, Germany designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and banned its activities on German soil.

53 properties searched

There had been calls for years from Hamburg residents to investigate the IZH.

Affiliated institutions in the federal states of Bremen, Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin were also being investigated. A total of 53 properties were being searched, the ministry said, and a total of four mosques shut.

The IZH is also being probed for "spreading aggressive antisemitism," Faeser added, saying that raids against the group in November established proof of connections to Hezbollah and led to Wednesday's ban.

es/rm (dpa, Reuters)

World champions Spain, new-look USA top Olympic women's football billing

Paris (AFP) – A rejuvenated United States team under new coach Emma Hayes are targeting a record-extending fifth women's football gold medal at the Paris Olympics but face stiff competition, not least in the shape of World Cup holders Spain and their all-star line-up.

Issued on: 24/07/2024 -

Former Chelsea coach Emma Hayes leads the USA women's team into the Paris Olympics © Darren Staples / AFP/File

The USA just about remain the biggest draw in women's soccer despite disappointing recent results and the departures of several veteran stars.

They won gold when women's football was introduced to the Olympics in 1996, and won three in a row in 2004, 2008 and 2012.

But they exited in the quarter-finals in 2016 and settled for bronze three years ago in Tokyo after losing to eventual champions Canada in the semis.

HUBRIS

That was followed by a shock last-16 exit at the World Cup a year ago in Australia and New Zealand, a disappointing end to the iconic Megan Rapinoe's international career and an outcome that precipitated the exit of coach Vlatko Andonovski.

They come to Paris under the leadership of English former Chelsea boss Hayes, probably the outstanding female coach in the sport.

She made a striking decision when naming her squad for the Games by choosing to leave out Alex Morgan, one of the leading players in the sides that won the 2015 and 2019 World Cups but now in her twilight years at the age of 35.

"It was a tough decision of course...especially considering Alex's history and record with this team, but I felt I wanted to go in another direction and selected other players," said Hayes.

It is a younger USA squad now, although players like Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith will benefit from the experience garnered at the World Cup.

Experience is still there, too, notably in the shape of Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle, members of the side that won the World Cup in France in 2019.

The USA are in a difficult Group B with Germany, Australia and a Zambia team who are outsiders but boast exciting forwards in Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji.

The format –- with 12 teams in three groups of four –- means the two best third-placed sides advance to the quarter-finals, providing a safety net in the event of slip-ups.
Bonmati aims big

Germany, gold medallists in 2016, will aim to bounce back from their group-stage exit at the World Cup but have lost key midfielder Lena Oberdorf to injury.

Australia are hoping to build on their run to the semi-finals in that World Cup on home soil, yet they are missing Sam Kerr, their captain, as she recovers from an ACL injury.

Reigning Ballon d'Or Aitana Bonmati is set to star for World Cup holders Spain 

© STR / AFP/File

Spain, in Group C with Japan, Nigeria and Brazil, will take some beating as they arrive in Paris with the stars who led them to World Cup glory 11 months ago.

Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati, Alexia Putellas and Salma Paralluelo are the standouts in a superb side that also won the UEFA Women's Nations League this year and are now making their Olympic debut.

"I'm sure lots of people and lots of teams see us as favourites, but this competition is a bit different," Bonmati told Marca.

"We play lots of matches in a short space of time, and against good sides, so it will be very difficult. But obviously we have the maximum ambition and are going for gold."

Spain kick off against 2012 silver medallists Japan, whose side includes Hinata Miyazawa, top scorer at the World Cup.

Nigeria are the top-ranked African nation, while Brazil are two-time silver medallists and hope to contend again in legendary forward Marta's sixth Olympics at the age of 38.

France, meanwhile, are aiming big on home soil as they face reigning Olympic champions Canada, New Zealand and the Colombia of teenage sensation Linda Caicedo in Group A.

"The objective, like that of every French athlete, is to win a medal. It won't be easy, but it has to be the aim," said coach Herve Renard, who will leave after the tournament which begins on Thursday and runs until August 10.

Games will be played around France, with the semi-finals in Lyon and Marseille. However, the gold-medal match will be in Paris.

© 2024 AFP

A PLAGUE UPON BOTH YOUR HOUSES

Sudan's paramilitary chief to participate in US-mediated ceasefire talks

BOTH SIDES PRACTICE WAR AS RAPE

The leader of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said Wednesday that he was willing to explore avenues towards a “peaceful, negotiated political solution” to the war with the Sudanese army through US-mediated talks in Switzerland.


Issued on: 24/07/2024 - 05:39
1 min

People set up their tents at a camp for internally displaced Sudanese from Sennar state, in the al-Huri district of Gedaref city in the east of war-torn Sudan on July 14, 2024. 

© AFP

By:NEWS WIRES

The United States has invited the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for US-mediated ceasefire talks starting on Aug. 14 in Switzerland, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.

RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo said early on Wednesday they will constructively participate in the talks to achieve "a comprehensive ceasefire across the country and facilitate humanitarian access to all those in need."

"We reaffirm our firm stance ... which is the insistence on saving lives, stopping the fighting, and paving the way for a peaceful, negotiated political solution that restores the country to civilian rule and the path of democratic transition," Dagalo said in a statement.

The talks will include the African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations as observers, Blinken said in a statement. Saudi Arabia will be a co-host for the discussions, he added.

"The scale of death, suffering, and destruction in Sudan is devastating. This senseless conflict must end," Blinken said, calling on the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to attend the talks and approach them constructively.


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The war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has forced almost 10 million people from their homes, sparked warnings of famine and waves of ethnically-driven violence blamed largely on the RSF.

Talks in Jeddah between the army and RSF that were sponsored by the United States and Saudi Arabia broke down at the end of last year.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Tuesday that the goal of the talks in Switzerland was to build on work from Jeddah and try to move the talks to the next phase.

"We just want to get the parties back to the table, and what we determined is that bringing the parties, the three host nations and the observers together is the best shot that we have right now at getting the nationwide cessation of violence," Miller said.

(Reuters)

Scramble to send aid after Ethiopia landslide kills over 200

Addis Ababa (AFP) – Humanitarian agencies were scrambling Tuesday to send desperately needed aid to a remote area of southern Ethiopia where a landslide has killed more than 200 people in the deadliest such disaster recorded in the Horn of Africa nation.


Issued on: 23/07/2024 - 

Map showing the approximate area of the deadly landslide in Southern Ethiopia 

© Nalini LEPETIT-CHELLA, Valentina BRESCHI / AFP

Crowds gathered at the site of the tragedy in an isolated and mountainous area of South Ethiopia regional state as residents used shovels or their bare hands to dig through mounds of red dirt in the hunt for victims and survivors, according to images posted by the local authority.

So far, 148 men and 81 women are confirmed to have died after the disaster struck on Monday in the Kencho-Shacha locality in the Gofa Zone, the local Communications Affairs Department said.

Images published on social media by the Gofa authority showed residents carrying bodies on makeshift stretchers, some wrapped in plastic sheeting.

Five people had been pulled alive from the mud and were receiving treatment at medical facilities, the government-owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation reported earlier.

It quoted local administrator Dagemawi Ayele as saying that most of the victims were buried after they went to help local residents hit by a first landslide following heavy rains.

Dagemawi said that among the victims were the locality's administrator as well as teachers, health professionals and agricultural professionals.

The UN's humanitarian response agency OCHA said more than 14,000 people had been affected in the hard-to-access area, which is roughly 450 kilometres (270 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa, about a 10-hour drive.

It said support for those affected was mostly being shouldered by the local community but some initial relief items had been sent by federal and regional authorities and local partners, including four trucks of supplies dispatched by the Ethiopian Red Cross for 500 households.

"Agencies are ready to deliver critical supplies, including food, medical items, and water, sanitation and hygiene support," OCHA said, adding that agencies would be assessing the scale of the impact of the tragedy, including displacement and damage to livelihoods.

Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa with around 120 million people, is highly vulnerable to climate disasters including flooding and drought.
'Landslide engulfed them'

"I am deeply saddened by this terrible loss," Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on X.

"Following the accident, the Federal Disaster Prevention Task Force has been deployed to the area and is working to reduce the impact of the disaster."

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is Ethiopian, sent a message of condolence on X and said a WHO team was being deployed to support immediate health needs.

African Union Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat also posted a statement on X, saying "our hearts and prayers" were with the families of the victims.

Firaol Bekele, early warning director at the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC), told AFP that residents had mobilised to try to save lives after four households were initially affected by a mudslide.

"But they too perished when the landslide engulfed them," he said, adding that the commission had sent an emergency team to the area, along with food and other aid for the stricken community.

He said there needed to be a "solid assessment and scientific investigation" into the cause of the landslide.

"An integrated, study-based solution is needed to address the risk permanently. This may include relocating the population."
Seasonal rains cause havoc

OCHA said Tuesday that a similar, but lower-scale landslide had occurred in May in the same area, where more than 50 people had died.

Seasonal rains in South Ethiopia state between April and early May had caused flooding, mass displacement and damage to livelihoods and infrastructure, it had said in May.

"This isn't the first time this type of disaster has happened," said an Ethiopian refugee living in Kenya who is from a district located near the site.

"Last year in a similar disaster more than 20 people were killed and before that almost every rainy season people die because of landslides and heavy rains in that area."

In another incident in 2017, at least 113 people died when a mountain of garbage collapsed in a dump in the outskirts of Addis Ababa.

The deadliest landslide in Africa was in Sierra Leone's capital in Freetown in August 2017, when 1,141 people perished.

Mudslides in the Mount Elgon region of eastern Uganda killed more than 350 people in February 2010.

© 2024 AFP