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Landfill landslide kills 30 in Conakry
Heavy rain collapsed a waste mound onto nearby homes at Conakry’s Dar es Salam landfill.
What happened
Heavy rain overnight caused a mound of refuse to collapse at Dar es Salam, Conakry’s largest landfill, burying nearby shacks in Gbessia commune. Guinea’s government reported 30 deaths, 6 serious injuries and 16 minor injuries. Rescuers continued searching the site, where several homes were destroyed.
Numbers
- 30 deathsGovernment’s reported death toll — Search operations continued
- 22 injuredPeople injured in the collapse — 6 were seriously injured
- 6 seriously injuredPeople requiring serious medical care — 16 others had minor injuries
Questions
- What is Dar es Salam landfill?
- It is Conakry’s largest open-air waste dump, and authorities had designated it for closure on the day of the collapse.
- Why were people living beside it?
- Authorities had issued eviction notices; many residents left, but others remained in the surrounding area when the mound gave way.
- What help is being provided?
- Excavators were clearing the site, while the government stated it would provide medical care and relocate remaining families.
- Why had closure been planned?
- The government had announced plans to relocate waste because the rainy season brings landslides and flash floods in crowded cities.
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The catch
The number still buried and the eventual death toll remain unknown in current coverage.
Rescue teams were still searching.