A landslide at the Dar es Salaam dumpsite in Conakry, Guinea, killed 30 people and injured six others when a mound of rubbish collapsed onto nearby homes following heavy rains. The government had previously ordered people away from the site due to fears of a collapse.
The incident highlights the dangers faced by residents living near inadequate waste management facilities, particularly in areas prone to heavy rainfall, and underscores the critical need for improved urban planning and safety measures in rapidly developing regions.
Thirty people died in Guinea's capital, Conakry, on Sunday when a mound of rubbish at the Dar es Salaam landfill collapsed onto neighboring homes following heavy rains. The incident occurred around 2:00 am in the Bbessia district's Dar-es-salam neighborhood, on the city's outskirts. Six others were seriously injured, and several homes were destroyed.
Rescue operations, including the use of excavators, were underway to search for bodies and potential survivors. Neighborhood leader Lancine Sylla told AFP that 18 bodies had been recovered and taken to the morgue. Guinea's minister for territorial administration, Djenabou Toure, visited the accident site.
In the days preceding the collapse, the government had expressed fears of a potential collapse and had ordered the expulsion of people and the implementation of safety measures around the landfill.