At least 30 people have been confirmed dead and more than 200 others injured after a wooden scaffolding collapsed during a major religious celebration in northern Ethiopia.
The accident happened on Tuesday at St. Mary’s Church in Arerti, a town in the North Shewa Zone of the Amhara region. Thousands of worshippers had gathered for the annual festival dedicated to the Virgin Mary, one of the most important feasts in Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christian calendar.
Witnesses said the scaffolding, which was built to support the church’s construction work, suddenly gave way as people leaned on it to get a better view of the celebrations. Large wooden beams and planks fell onto the crowd, trapping many under the rubble.
Emergency workers and local residents rushed to the scene to help. Rescue teams pulled survivors from the debris and took the injured to nearby hospitals.
Doctors in Arerti said they were overwhelmed with the number of patients and had called for extra ambulances and medical specialists.
“People are still being brought in with serious injuries,” a hospital official told local media. “We need blood donations and more medical supplies.”
The Ethiopian government has expressed condolences to the victims’ families and promised support for rescue and recovery efforts. Religious leaders have also called for national prayers and solidarity.
Ethiopia, home to over 120 million people, has a large Orthodox Christian population, and festivals like the Virgin Mary feast often attract huge crowds. But concerns about safety at such gatherings are now growing.
Officials are investigating whether the scaffolding was properly constructed and if safety rules were followed.
