At Least 30 Dead After Rubbish Heap Collapse at Conakry Landfill

At least 30 people have lost their lives following the collapse of a large rubbish heap at the Dar-es-Salam landfill in Conakry, Guinea's capital. The disaster occurred early Sunday after heavy overnight rains triggered the landslide, burying nearby homes and shacks under tonnes of waste.

Rescue teams, including military personnel, have been deployed to search for survivors and recover bodies. Excavators are being used to sift through the debris as local residents anxiously await news of their relatives.

Official Response and Ongoing Rescue Efforts

• Guinea’s Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the site to oversee rescue operations.
• Lancine Sylla, head of the Dar-es-Salam suburb, confirmed that 18 bodies have been recovered and taken to a morgue.
• Medical care and support services have been mobilized for the injured and affected families.

Affected residents had been warned to vacate the area prior to the incident, and the landfill was scheduled for closure on the same day. Despite safety measures recently introduced, concerns remain about the vulnerability of communities living near the waste site.

Former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo described the tragedy as devastating and called for a transparent investigation into the causes of the collapse. This is not the first fatal incident at the landfill; a similar landslide in 2017 resulted in 10 deaths.

Authorities continue to search the site for additional victims as the death toll is expected to rise. The government has pledged to provide ongoing assistance to those affected by the disaster.