Overview

• State outlet FBC reports at least 36 dead and more than 200 injured after an improvised wooden scaffold gave way during a ceremony in the town of Arerti.
• Earlier tallies from other state media put the count at 22 dead and 55 injured, and local officials cautioned that victims were still being pulled from the debris.
• The collapse occurred inside the Menjar Shenkora Arerti Mariam church during a traditional festival as pilgrims stood on a scaffold installed for finishing works.
• Local health authorities said dozens were seriously hurt, with 15 patients transferred to hospitals in Adama and Addis Ababa after the Arerti facility became overwhelmed.
• Investigations have been opened into construction and safety practices at the site, as state media shared images of broken planks and onlookers assisting the injured.