At least 30 people were killed and six others seriously injured when a mountainous heap of refuse collapsed early Sunday at Conakry’s largest landfill, triggering a landslide that buried nearby shacks.
The disaster occurred in the Dar Es Salam area after torrential rains, which began around 2 a.m., washed over the open-air dump, destroying several homes. Search and rescue operations are currently underway to locate survivors.
According to Lt. Col. Baldé Mamadou Bailo, sanitation officer for the military engineering battalion, the open-air dump had been designated for closure on Sunday. Although authorities had issued eviction notices, many locals had not yet vacated the area.
Territorial Administration and Decentralization Minister Dienabou Touré, who visited the scene, promised that the government would ensure the relocation of all remaining families.