Red Cross calls for support for vulnerable communities affected by landslides in Southern Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, August 2, 2024 (FBC) – The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an emergency appeal for 6 million Swiss Francs following a series of devastating landslides, floods, and storms that have struck Southern Ethiopia.

The appeal will support the Ethiopia Red Cross in responding to the urgent needs of the most vulnerable communities affected by these relentless disasters.

Mohammed Omer Mukhier, IFRC Regional Director, states, “The trail of devastation left by the landslides, floods, and storms is overwhelming and has affected thousands. Our teams are working around the clock, but the sheer scale of this crisis means we urgently need more support to reach everyone in need.”

Ethiopia is grappling with its deadliest landslide to date, with 232 confirmed fatalities as of 30 July.

Getachew Ta’a, Secretary General, Ethiopia Red Cross Society, emphasizes, stated that they have dispatched emergency supplies, including food, water, sanitation, and hygiene items, emergency shelter kits, and essential household items to communities affected.

Immediate intervention is crucial to prevent a public health emergency, he underscored.

Paula Fitzgerald, IFRC Head of Country Cluster Delegation, Ethiopia and Djibouti, says, “The scale of the disaster needs immediate international support. We need more resources, more hands, and more global solidarity to prevent further loss of life and to help these communities rebuild and recover. We will equip communities, so they are better prepared for disasters, so this never happens again.”

The 6 million Swiss Francs emergency appeal will enable the Ethiopian Red Cross to support at least 25,500 people affected by landslides in the South Ethiopia region. This will ensure families have access to life-saving interventions such as water and sanitation, health, food, protection services, psychosocial support, and search and rescue operations, as well as early recovery actions in the affected areas, he added.