Landslide at waste dump in Guinea's capital kills 30
A landslide triggered by heavy overnight rain collapsed a huge waste mound in Conakry, Guinea, killing 30 people and burying nearby tents and shacks. The disaster came less than a week after officials announced plans to close the dangerous site.
Guinea's government said on Sunday that a landslide at a massive waste dump in the capital, Conakry, killed 30 people overnight after heavy rain caused the mound to collapse, burying nearby tents and makeshift shacks.
The collapse happened around 2am local time (3am UK time) in the Gbessia commune. Alongside the 30 deaths, six people were seriously injured and 16 others sustained lighter injuries, according to a government statement.
Rescue crews worked at the site with excavators and other equipment to clear debris. Witnesses said the scale of the landslide was large enough to have buried an entire apartment building, in addition to the more fragile dwellings nearby.
One resident, Cire Diallo, told reporters she had lost all five of her children in the disaster, saying she could only put her trust in God.
Closure had already been announced
Just days before the tragedy, on Thursday, Guinea's minister of territorial administration, Djénabou Touré Camara, had announced that the government would close the landfill because it was unsafe, with plans to relocate the waste outside Conakry. Heavy rains during the rainy season regularly trigger deadly landslides and flash floods in crowded, underdeveloped West African cities.
Guinea holds the world's largest bauxite reserves and the richest untapped iron ore deposits, located at Simandou, where a major mining project began last November. Despite these resources, the country continues to struggle with poor infrastructure and widespread poverty — a World Bank report published in April found that 3.7 million of Guinea's 15.1 million people live on less than $4.20 a day.
Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the site on Sunday to assess the damage and oversee the emergency response. The government urged residents to remain calm, show solidarity, and strictly follow instructions from rescue services and relevant authorities.
