At least 30 people have been killed and more than 200 injured after a church under construction collapsed during a major religious celebration in Ethiopia’s Amhara region.
The tragedy unfolded early on Wednesday at the Arerti Mariam Church in Minjar Shenkora, about 70 kilometres north of the capital Addis Ababa, where thousands of Orthodox Christian worshippers had gathered to mark the annual feast of St Mary.
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Ahmed Gebeyehu, a local police inspector, told the BBC’s Amharic service that the collapse happened suddenly as scaffolding supporting part of the structure gave way, sending wooden beams and heavy materials crashing onto the crowd. “The death toll may increase,” he warned, noting that the victims ranged from young adults to the elderly.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic and terrifying. “A large section of the church collapsed – the sound of the wooden structure giving way was loud and frightening,” said one attendee, who recalled people scattering in panic to escape the falling debris.
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Rescue operations continued into the afternoon, with many people believed to still be trapped under the rubble. Severely injured victims were transferred to hospitals in Addis Ababa for treatment.
Seyoum Altaye, a clinician at a nearby hospital, confirmed 25 deaths at his facility alone. “So far we have over a hundred injured, including children and the elderly. We are seeking urgent support from the Red Cross,” he said.
Teshale Tilahun, local administrator called the collapse “a tragic loss for the community”, warning that the number of casualties could rise further.
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The Ethiopian government expressed “deep condolences for the damage caused by the collapse” in a statement broadcast by the state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC). Officials stressed the importance of enforcing safety standards on all construction projects, amid longstanding concerns about weak regulation in the country’s booming building sector.
For the community of Minjar Shenkora, however, the focus is not on regulations but on mourning lives lost during one of the holiest days of their calendar. “This is a day we should have been celebrating together,” said one worshipper. “Instead, we are grieving.”
