Overview

• The structure gave way around 7:45 a.m. at Menjar Shenkora Arerti Mariam Church in Arerti, roughly 70 kilometers east of Addis Ababa, during the annual Virgin Mary celebration.
• District police chief Ahmed Gebeyehu reported 36 confirmed deaths and more than 200 injuries, cautioning that the casualty count could increase.
• Local official Atnafu Abate said some people remained under debris while severely injured patients were transferred to referral hospitals in the capital.
• Images from Ethiopian state media showed tangled wooden poles and heavy debris, and a government message conveyed condolences while urging that safety be prioritized.
• Coverage highlighted weak enforcement of health and safety rules that makes construction accidents common, and Catholic bishops publicly expressed solidarity with the Ethiopian Orthodox community.