Fourteen people have died after a landslide struck a mountain monastery in Ethiopia's northern Amhara region during an overnight prayer service. Funerals have been held for some of the victims.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning when a hillside above the Tsadqane Debre Mitmaq St Mary Monastery collapsed. Worshippers had gathered in a prayer chamber carved into the mountainside for a special service, which included a holy water cleansing ritual.
Dagnachew Azbite, a senior local official, stated that the land above the cave slid after heavy rain that lasted throughout the night. Seven people were found injured, with five sustaining serious injuries. Rescue efforts for those feared trapped in the debris have now been halted.
Megabe Hadis Neka Tibeb Ababu, the diocese's general manager, said that many of those who died had gathered to receive the holy water. Eleven of the deceased have been buried at the monastery, while the bodies of others were returned to their hometowns. Identifying some victims remains a challenge.
Emergency teams, security personnel, healthcare workers, and nearby residents participated in the search and rescue operations. Archbishop Abune Klementos, head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church's North Shewa Diocese, travelled to the monastery to lead funeral prayers, pray for the injured, and offer comfort to grieving families.
Landslides are a recurring hazard in Ethiopia during its main rainy season, which typically runs from June to August. A landslide in the Geze Gofa Zone in July 2024 killed over 229 people, including rescuers, making it one of the country's deadliest weather-related disasters in recent years.