Jordan extends condolences to Ethiopia over landslide victims

AMMAN — The Foreign Ministry on Saturday extended condolences to the government and people of Ethiopia following the two landslides that hit the Gofa region of southern Ethiopia on Friday, resulting in several casualties and injuries, according to a ministry statement.

Sufyan Quddah, the ministry's spokesperson, expressed the Kingdom's solidarity with Ethiopia at this tragic time, extending condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.

At least 257 have perished, according to the latest toll from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which also warned that up to 500 might have died -- with the number of missing unknown, the AFP reported.

Officials said most of the victims were buried when they rushed to help after the initial landslide which was followed by others.

Ethiopia's parliament announced three days of mourning from Saturday.

Ethiopia is often afflicted by climate-related disasters and more than 21 million people, or about 18 per cent of the population, rely on humanitarian aid as a result of conflict, flooding or drought, according to OCHA.