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The death toll from two devastating landslides in southern Ethiopia has sharply risen to 157, with expectations that this number could climb further, a government official reported on Tuesday.

The tragedy occurred in the Gofa zone of the Southern Ethiopia regional state, where the first landslide buried residents, and a subsequent one engulfed others who had gathered to assist on Monday morning.

Markos Melese, head of the National Disaster Response agency in Gofa Zone, conveyed the difficulties of the ongoing search and rescue operations via phone. "Searching is still going on, and there are bodies yet to be recovered.

The area is very challenging," Melese explained. So far, 157 bodies have been retrieved from two villages, with officials fearing the death toll could continue to rise.

Initially, reports on Monday indicated at least 50 fatalities, including children and police officers. The scope of the disaster has since expanded, highlighting the urgent need for continued rescue efforts and support for the affected communities.