Fourteen killed in Ethiopia monastery landslide during overnight prayer service
A landslide at a mountain monastery in Ethiopia's northern Amhara region has killed 14 people during an overnight prayer service. The collapse struck Tsadqane Debre Mitmaq St Mary Monastery in the early hours of Monday after heavy rain fell throughout the night. Worshippers had gathered at the site for a special prayer service that included a holy water cleansing ritual.
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Local officials said the land above a cave prayer chamber gave way after prolonged rain, sending debris into the monastery compound. Dagnachew Azbite, a senior local official, said seven people were injured, including five who were seriously hurt. Rescue efforts have now been halted after funerals began for some of those killed.
Eleven of the 14 people found in the debris have been buried at the monastery, while the bodies of the others were returned to their hometowns for burial, according to the diocese's general manager, Megabe Hadis Neka Tibeb Ababu. He said identifying some of the victims remained difficult. 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 comfort grieving families.
The incident highlights the continuing risk of landslides during Ethiopia's main rainy season, which usually runs from June to August. Landslides are a recurring hazard in the country, particularly in mountainous areas where heavy rain can destabilise slopes and affect communities gathered in exposed locations. The monastery setting also underlines the vulnerability of religious sites built into hillsides or caves, where access and evacuation can be difficult when weather turns severe.
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The prayer service was taking place at a monastery that includes a chamber carved into the mountainside, and the holy water ritual is popular among Orthodox Christians seeking spiritual healing for chronic illnesses. That detail helps explain why the site was crowded at the time of the collapse. It also shows how a religious gathering can quickly become a mass-casualty event when extreme weather hits without warning.
Authorities said emergency teams, security personnel, healthcare workers and nearby residents took part in the search and rescue operation before it was stopped. What remains unclear is whether any further victims may still be unaccounted for, and whether the site will be assessed for future safety risks. The broader question is how communities in Ethiopia's rain-prone highlands can better prepare for landslides that continue to recur during the wet season.
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