Guinea Landslide: 30 Killed As Waste Dump Collapses After Heavy Rain

A massive landslide killed dozens of residents early Sunday (local time), when a huge waste mound collapsed at the Dar-es-Salam landfill in Conakry, Guinea. The Guinean government confirmed a death toll of 30 people, with 22 others injured (six seriously and 16 lightly), The Guardian reported.

The death toll is expected to rise as search operations continue across the disaster zone, The Guardian reported. As of Monday, the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization stated several individuals remain unaccounted for. Immediately after the collapse, local residents and emergency workers began digging through the trash and mud with bare hands and shovels to locate survivors.

30 Killed As Waste Dump Collapses In Conakry

Days of torrential seasonal rainfall weakened the structural integrity of the massive waste mound. The waterlogged debris eventually gave way and triggered the collapse over the adjacent residential area. The death toll was 30, with six ‌people seriously injured and 16 more lightly injured, a statement by the government said.

Cire Diallo, a woman present at the site, told reporters that her five children were killed. “I ‌have lost all my children. All I can do is put my trust in God,” she said.

As heavy rains persisted, Guinea's government deployed military personnel and heavy machinery to assist rescue teams. The equipment was brought in to clear large sections of the hazardous debris.

Landfill Was Due To Be Closed After Safety Concerns

The Dar-es-Salam landfill is Conakry's primary open-air dump. It has operated for decades and is entirely surrounded by dense informal settlements.

Prior to the disaster, Minister of Territorial Administration Djénabou Touré Camara announced on August 20, that the landfill would officially close on August 23, and municipal authorities had issued eviction notices to nearby residents, as per The Guardian.

A similar landslide occurred at the exact same dump site in August 2017. That disaster killed nine people. Following the 2017 disaster, the government issued pledges to close the dump and relocate vulnerable residents. Despite these promises, thousands still live on the margins of the hazardous site today.

Exiled former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, one of the main opposition figures, said in a statement in Facebook that the tragedy ‘plunges them into consternation’.

“I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and express my solidarity with the populations who have suffered greatly. I also hope that all resources will be immediately mobilized to intensify the search and rescue efforts for those who may still be buried under the rubble.”