At least 66 people died after a truck fell into a river Southern EthiopiaThe hospital director said on Monday.
The accident occurred on Sunday when an old, overcrowded truck rented by wedding guests fell off the Gilan Bridge, villagers said. Traffic accidents It's happened before.
The medical director of Buna General Hospital in the southern Sidama region, Lemma Lajide, told The Associated Press on Monday that 64 people died at the site and two more at the hospital.
He said those patients who needed more advanced critical care were transferred to a larger hospital in Hawassa.
Delays in rescue efforts in the remote village were blamed for the high death toll. Villagers said they tried to rescue people from the raging river only with sticks.
This undated photo shows the Ethiopian flag. (Bildagentur-online/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Villager Sirak Boko told the AP that moments before the accident, music was blaring from the truck and people in suits were dancing and waving.
It is common for people in rural areas of Ethiopia to rent trucks instead of buses to take them to social media Events such as weddings Because they are more affordable and can afford a lot of people. Most of those on board the truck were men because they were culturally required to accompany the bride from her home to the groom's home.
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Fasil Atara, a resident, said, “The area always witnesses frequent accidents around the river due to poor construction,” referring to the lack of bumps and warnings on the road.
With abandoned infrastructure and crowded public transportation, Ethiopia has witnessed similar incidents in the past. In August, 38 people died after a bus overturned in the Amhara region.
