Mersa Explained

Official Name:Mersa City Administration
Other Name:Mersa-Abagetye
Native Name:Amharic: መርሳ
Settlement Type:City administration
Pushpin Map:Ethiopia
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within Ethiopia
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Ethiopia
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Amhara
Subdivision Type2:Zone
Subdivision Name2:North Wollo
Subdivision Type3:Woreda
Subdivision Name3:Habru
Subdivision Type4:Kebele
Government Type:City Administration
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Wendwesen Ayalew
Established Title:Legend has it that Mersa was founded as a village in the 16th century
Established Date:16th century
Established Date2:ca. 1966
Established Date3:16/11/2009
Area Total Km2:14.84
Population Footnotes:As per Mersa Communication Facebook information.
Population Total:41253
Timezone:EAT
Utc Offset:+3
Coordinates:11.6667°N 78.5°W
Elevation M:1600
Area Code:033
Mersa
Coor Pinpoint:Latitude : 11.667Longitude : 39.650

Mersa (Amharic: መርሳ) also known as Mersa-Abagetye (Amharic፡ መርሳ አባ ጌትየ)is a city administration in Habru Woreda of the Semien Wollo (North Wollo) of the Amhara Region (or kilil) in Ethiopia. It has a latitude and longitude of 11.6667°N 78.5°W, with an elevation of 1600 meters. The city it is the administrative center of Habru Woreda. Mersa is located along Ethiopian Highway 2.

Mersa was a victim of rocket attack by Derg at the beginning of 1990. Jenny Hamond described the incident as: "It was the site of a terrible atrocity by the retreating Derg forces as the Front fighters closed in on them in 1990. They retreated to a safe distance and then they turned their heavy BM rocket launchers onto the defenseless town."[1]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Hammond, Jenny.. Fire from the ashes : a chronicle of the revolution in Tigray, Ethiopia, 1975-1991. 1999. Red Sea Press. 1569020868. 39890486.