Thirty killed as landfill collapses after heavy rain in Guinea
Heavy rain caused a huge waste mound to collapse in Guinea’s capital, killing 30 people and injuring 22 shortly before the landfill’s planned closure.
A landslide at a landfill in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, killed 30 people after overnight rain caused a vast mound of waste to collapse onto nearby tents, shacks and other homes, the government said on Sunday (August 23).
The disaster occurred at about 2am in the Gbessia commune. Six people were seriously injured and another 16 sustained minor injuries, according to a government statement.
Rescue workers used excavators and other equipment to clear the collapsed waste and search for anyone who might remain trapped beneath it. Witnesses described the landslide as large enough to bury an apartment building as well as several more precarious dwellings.
Mother loses five children
Cire Diallo, a woman at the scene, told reporters that all five of her children had died in the disaster.
“I have lost all my children. All I can do is put my trust in God,” she said.
Guinean Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the landfill on Sunday to inspect the damage and oversee the emergency response.
The government called on residents to remain calm, support one another and follow instructions from rescue teams and the relevant authorities.
Closure announced days before collapse
The incident occurred less than a week after the government announced that the landfill would be closed because of the danger it posed, particularly during the rainy season.
Territorial Administration Minister Djenab Toure said on Thursday that waste from the site would be relocated outside Conakry.
Seasonal downpours regularly bring a risk of landslides and deadly flash floods to densely populated and underdeveloped cities in parts of West Africa.
Guinea possesses the world’s largest bauxite reserves and the rich, largely untapped Simandou iron ore deposit, where a major mining project was launched in November.
Despite its mineral resources, the country continues to face widespread poverty and weak infrastructure. A World Bank report published in April found that 3.7 million of Guinea’s population of 15.1 million lived on less than US$4.20 a day.
Source: Reuters
