
Africa-Press – Ethiopia. January 20, 2025 2 minutes read Addis Abeba – Following a series of seismic activities in parts of Afar and Oromia, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that “Some residents in Awash and Dulecha districts are reluctant to evacuate, particularly pastoralist communities concerned about their livestock and property.” In response, the Incident Command Post (ICP) is considering implementing mandatory evacuations in high-risk areas to ensure public safety, according to the UN agency.
In its latest update, prepared with the support of IASC cluster coordinators and partners, OCHA highlighted growing security concerns in earthquake-affected areas of Oromia.
“The movement of nearly 400,000 livestock has severely disrupted pastoralist livelihoods, as the evacuation sites lack suitable land for maintaining these animals,” the update stated. “Agropastoral and pastoralist communities are facing significant challenges, including abandoned crops, a lack of fodder and water for displaced livestock, competition for resources with host communities, and fears of disease spreading among livestock.”
Reports indicate that seismic activity persists in the Afar and Oromia regions, with 18 earthquakes (ranging from magnitudes 4.3 to 5.2) recorded in the past week, attributed to the Fentale volcanic complex. The government is currently evacuating over 60,000 people from high-risk areas to safer locations. These evacuations are focused on areas affected by ongoing tremors, regions prone to rockfalls, and locations near ash-emitting sites active since 02 January, 2025.
According to OCHA, the continued relocations and the arrival of new internally displaced persons (IDPs) have exacerbated the urgent need for adequate shelter.
“Many evacuees are living in open spaces with makeshift shelters, such as plastic sheet roofing or poorly constructed traditional dome-shaped structures, leaving them exposed to harsh daytime heat, cold nights, and strong winds,” OCHA emphasized. “This absence of proper shelter increases vulnerability, especially for women, girls, and children, while the lack of mosquito nets raises the risk of malaria outbreaks.”
Last week, Addis Standard reported that individuals displaced by the recent earthquakes in the Afar region are struggling to survive in overcrowded shelters, facing severe shortages of food, water, and essential supplies. Many residents have expressed that aid from the government and humanitarian organizations has been inadequate, leaving vulnerable populations in critical conditions.
In a previous update, OCHA noted that food assistance has reached 6,780 households in the Afar evacuation areas, which host the highest number of displaced people. However, 2,250 households remain without any support.
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