Death toll from Ethiopia landslide rises to 146

Police officers secure the perimeter at the scene of a garbage landslide, as excavators aid rescue efforts, on the outskirts of the capital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, March 12, 2017.[Photo, VOA]

The death toll from a landslide in southern Ethiopia has risen to at least 146, a local official said Tuesday, warning that the number could rise.

The landslide occurred around 10:00 am (0700 GMT) on Monday following heavy rains in a mountainous area of South Ethiopia regional state. The last toll given was 55.

"The number of dead from the sudden landslide that happened in Geze-Gofa district of Gofa zone has passed 146," a statement from the Gofa zone Communications Affairs Department said, quoting local official Habtamu Fetena.

Habtamu said the bodies of 96 men and 50 women had been found, adding that the search was "continuing vigorously" and warning that the number of dead could increase.

Images shared on Facebook by the state-affiliated media outlet Fana Broadcasting Corporate on Monday showed hundreds of people near a devastating scene of tumbled red soil.

The photographs showed people using their bare hands to dig through the dirt in search of survivors.

Gofa zone is roughly 450 kilometres (270 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa, a drive of about 10 hours, and located north of the Maze National Park.

The South Ethiopia regional state has been battered by the short seasonal rains between April and early May that have caused flooding and mass displacement, according to the UN's humanitarian response agency OCHA.