In brief
A towering mound of garbage collapsed onto homes in Conakry, Guinea, after heavy overnight rains, killing 30 and injuring 22 people. Military and civilian teams, including the Prime Minister, rushed to clear the debris and search for survivors, employing excavators to sift through the rubbish. The incident follows a 2017 landslide at the same site that killed 10 people, highlighting ongoing safety concerns around waste management in the capital. Families report that some bodies remain buried and the death toll may rise further, while officials are mobilising resources to prevent future tragedies. Residents fear that the hazardous waste site poses significant environmental and health risks.
At least 30 people died when a massive mound of garbage at Conakry’s main landfill collapsed onto nearby homes following heavy overnight rains. 22 more were injured, six of them seriously, according to the state report.
The Military was among the first responders, moving apart debris with excavators as residents gathered at the scene. Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah travelled to the site to spearhead the search for survivors.
The disaster follows a 2017 landslide that already claimed 10 lives at the same site, underscoring persistent safety concerns about the handling of waste in Guinea’s capital.
Official statements warn that the death toll could rise further as bodies remain under rubble. Neighborhood leader Lancine Sylla reported 18 recovered bodies taken to a morgue, and a former resident’s testimony said five of her children perished.
The government has mobilised significant resources to clear the site and prevent a repeat catastrophe, but communities fear the environmental and health hazards that a hulking waste dump poses.
