News: Parliamentary team finds earthquake response in Afar 'insufficient', urges regional leadership to address gaps
Addis Abeba– A parliamentary oversight team has found that efforts to support citizens affected by earthquakes in Ethiopia’s Afar region are insufficient, the House of People’s Representatives reported on January 21, 2025.
“The efforts being made to rehabilitate citizens affected by the earthquake in the region are insufficient,” the team stated in their findings after visiting affected areas.
The team, drawn from the standing committees on Health, Social Development, Culture and Sports, and Foreign Relations and Peace Affairs, identified gaps in shelter provision, food and water supply, and healthcare services delivery.
Earlier, Addis Standard reported that displaced persons were living in overcrowded shelters with limited access to food, water, and essential supplies. “Aid from the government and humanitarian organizations has been inadequate,” residents told Addis Standard.
Zone officials told the parliamentary team: “While the damage was sudden, work is being done to help citizens affected by the disaster.” However, the parliamentary representatives responded that “regional leadership at all levels must focus on and work on these issues.”
The region continues to experience seismic activity, with 18 earthquakes recorded in the past week, measuring between 4.3 and 5.2 in magnitude, connected to the Fentale volcanic complex. The government is evacuating over 60,000 people from areas affected by tremors, regions prone to rockfalls, and locations near active ash-emitting sites.
According to OCHA, food assistance has reached 6,780 households in the Afar evacuation areas, while 2,250 households have not received support. AS
