Landfill collapse engulfs homes in Guinea, 30 dead and more than 20 injured

A major tragedy has struck Conakry, the capital of Guinea, where the collapse of a mass of waste from a landfill engulfed homes near the site. As a result, at least 30 people have lost their lives.

More than 20 others were injured, while emergency teams continue searching through tonnes of waste. It is suspected that people may still be trapped beneath the collapsed mass.

The collapse occurred after heavy rainfall, which is believed to have destabilized the pile of waste. Authorities have launched search-and-rescue operations, while the victims’ bodies have been transported to the morgue.

Guinea’s Minister of Territorial Administration, Djenabou Touré, who arrived at the scene, said the official toll would be made public after the search-and-rescue operations were completed.

The risk of a collapse had been warned about earlier, but the measures appear to have been insufficient. The government had ordered residents to evacuate and security to be strengthened around the landfill, amid fears of further collapses. Residents in the area had also been sent notices instructing them to leave their homes.

The landfill, considered one of the largest in the city, had been scheduled to close on Sunday. Despite this, many residents were still living in the surrounding area when the disaster occurred.