Conakry, Guinea: At least 30 people were killed and six others seriously injured after a landfill collapsed onto nearby homes in the capital Conakry early Sunday following heavy rains, the government said.
The disaster occurred around 2am local time in the Dar-es-Salam neighbourhood of the Bbessia district. Rescue teams, supported by excavators, were deployed to search the collapsed landfill for people who may still be trapped and to recover bodies.
How Did the Landfill Collapse in Conakry?
Authorities said heavy rainfall preceded the collapse, which sent a large mound of waste onto neighbouring homes. Rescue workers continued operations at the site as officials warned that additional victims could still be buried under the debris.
Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the disaster site as emergency teams carried out search-and-rescue operations. The government said medical assistance had been arranged for the injured and support measures were being provided to affected residents.
Were Authorities Warned About the Landfill?
Concerns had been raised about the safety of the landfill before the disaster. Local officials had reportedly ordered people living around the site to leave because of fears that the waste mound could collapse.
Former prime minister and opposition figure Cellou Dalein Diallo described the incident as a tragedy and called for a transparent investigation into the circumstances that led to the collapse.
The government said significant human and material resources had been deployed to determine whether more people remained trapped and to recover victims.