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Monastery Tragedy: Heavy Rains Trigger Deadly Ethiopia Landslide
4 Aug
Summary
- Heavy rains caused a landslide at a monastery, killing 14 people.
- Hundreds of worshippers were gathered for a holy water ritual.
- Search efforts continue for unaccounted individuals trapped under debris.
Tragedy struck Ethiopia's Amhara region on Monday, August 4, 2026, when a severe landslide, induced by relentless heavy rainfall, resulted in the deaths of 14 individuals. The incident occurred at the Tsadqane Debre Mitmaq St. Mary Monastery.
A large congregation of worshippers had assembled for a popular holy water cleansing ritual, seeking spiritual healing for chronic ailments. The disaster unfolded around 7 a.m. as massive rocks dislodged from a nearby mountain, crashing down onto the gathered faithful.
Search and rescue operations are actively underway, as an unknown number of people are feared to be trapped beneath the extensive debris. Eleven of the deceased have already been interred at the monastery, while the remains of others were sent to their hometowns, complicating identification efforts.
This event underscores the increasing vulnerability of Ethiopia to extreme weather. Mudslides and flooding have become more frequent during the June to September rainy season, exacerbated by climate change and inadequate rural infrastructure.
