Climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of extreme weather events like floods, landslides, and droughts, leading to devastating consequences for vulnerable communities. These events result in loss of life, livelihoods, and property, leaving communities in a state of heightened vulnerability.
The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly extreme, as evidenced by the recent landslides in Kenya, Ethiopia, and India. These events highlight the global reach of climate-related disasters, impacting human survival across diverse regions and leaving these areas severely damaged and more susceptible to future shocks.
The regions most impacted must be in most instances prone to such occurrences though with a previously low disruption level. Although this has so far changed as witnessed is more harm than can be anticipated and loss of lives as well as livelihoods further soar the most.
Landslides Deadly Impacts in Africa
There have been deadly mudslides often occurring within the East African region as evidenced by numerous occasions in different countries of the region. In Kenya, there were flash floods with a landslide during April which led to deaths of more than 40 people in an overnight occurrence.
This was closely followed by the sad event of a landslide that swept parts of Southern Ethiopia, leading to massive casualties all of a sudden. The landslide at Gamo Gofa was massive as it caused several casualties with United Nations Office for Human Rights (OCHA) pointing out that the number could surpass the 229 lives lost as they revealed that the toll could be as high as 500.
Ethiopia’s Wolaita area was also hit by a landslide that was attributed to the heavy rain season that’s ongoing in the region. The landslide is reported to have killed up to 13 people as of Monday 5th August 2024 with a fear of recording an increase in the number of casualties.
probably, these landslides are mostly common during the rainy seasons both in Ethiopia and in the wider East African region. According to Fola Samuel, Zone chief administrator of Wolaita, the tragic incident has cost so many livelihoods and lives that have succumbed to the eventuality witnessed.
Mr. Fola further responded to the important role that proactive action would play in not only addressing these issues but also ensuring lives are saved especially the children’s lives. The chief said that up to 300 people have been evacuated from the area in the Kindo Didaye district and there is a huge number of those unaccounted for.
How can Landslides Issue be Addressed in Africa?
Over the years, diverse firms/organizations have ventured on expeditions of working in solidarity with the people of the community as a core way to address issues like this.
There is a need for the development of community-based early warning systems that can disseminate alerts promptly and amongst several populations. This move can be strengthened through the installation of monitoring systems that can be able to detect changes urgently thus easing the people’s burden.
Another crucial step would be to conduct public awareness campaigns that entail education of the communities about the risks of landslides and some of the prevention measures that the people can partake in. This means that community members have to be so vocal and vital when it comes to the assessment, planning, and implementation of mitigation measures.
Amongst the measures, there’s one that stands out which is the execution of research and the uplifting of innovations and ideas that solve these challenges. For example, through international cooperation, there comes a platform for collaborations, which opens the doors for more technology experiences, and the sharing of knowledge to improve these spaces.
Impactful steps can be taken in addressing the situation that’s growing rampant lately, however for Africa to surpass them, there has to be a deliberate comprehensive approach. The approach for Africa would then mean, the incorporation of indigenous knowledge, meaningful community involvement, scientific knowledge, and effective institutional support.
It is through these strides that the risks suffered so far from landslides can be significantly reduced which would mean protection of lives, livelihoods, and property.
