At least 30 people have died after a huge mound of rubbish collapsed onto homes near a major waste site in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, in a disaster that has prompted a major emergency response.
The collapse occurred at about 02:00 local time in the Dar-es-Salam area after heavy rain swept through the city overnight, according to the Guinean government.
Officials said 22 other people were injured, including six who suffered serious injuries, while rescue teams continued searching through the debris for anyone who may still be trapped.
Rescue Operation Underway at Waste Site
Authorities have mobilised significant resources to the affected area, with military personnel joining emergency workers in the search for survivors.
Rescuers were seen operating excavators through the enormous pile of scattered rubbish as residents gathered close to the scene, anxiously waiting for information about relatives and neighbours.
The scale of the debris has made the search difficult, while concerns remain that additional victims could be buried beneath the collapsed waste.
Families Face Devastating Losses
The disaster has left families across the neighbourhood facing an agonising wait for news of loved ones.
One woman told local media that all five of her children had died in the collapse, highlighting the devastating impact on residents living close to the waste site.
Local neighbourhood leader Lancine Sylla had earlier warned that the number of casualties could be substantial.
He said 18 bodies had already been recovered and taken to a morgue.
With rescue operations still underway, authorities fear the death toll could increase.
Prime Minister Visits Disaster Scene
Guinea’s Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah travelled to the affected area to assess the destruction and oversee the emergency response.
His visit came as rescue personnel and soldiers continued working at the site, where large quantities of rubbish had spilled across the surrounding area following the collapse.
The government has not indicated how long the recovery operation is expected to continue, but teams remain focused on locating survivors and recovering victims.
Previous Collapse Raises Safety Concerns
The latest tragedy has renewed concerns about the dangers faced by communities living near major waste disposal sites in Conakry.
The same site was the scene of another deadly landslide in 2017, when 10 people were killed.
The recurrence of fatal collapses at the location is likely to intensify scrutiny over waste management, landfill safety and the risks posed to nearby residents, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
Heavy Rain Adds to Disaster Risks
The collapse followed heavy overnight rainfall, which appears to have played a major role in triggering the disaster.
Large accumulations of waste can become increasingly unstable when exposed to substantial amounts of water, creating potentially dangerous conditions for communities situated close to landfill sites.
The latest incident has therefore placed renewed attention on the need for stronger safety measures around waste facilities in densely populated areas.
Search Continues as Death Toll Could Rise
Emergency personnel remain at the site as the search for victims and possible survivors continues.
For families in Dar-es-Salam, the operation is a desperate race against time, while officials face the difficult task of managing one of the deadliest waste-site disasters to hit Conakry in recent years.
The government is expected to provide further updates as rescuers make progress and the full extent of the destruction becomes clearer.
What’s Next?
Rescue teams are expected to continue combing through the collapsed waste mound while authorities assess the condition of surrounding homes and the wider site.
Officials will also face growing pressure to determine what caused the collapse and whether additional safety measures could prevent another tragedy, particularly given the site’s deadly history.
Summary
At least 30 people have been killed and 22 injured after a massive rubbish mound collapsed onto homes in Conakry’s Dar-es-Salam area following heavy overnight rain.
Six of the injured are reportedly in serious condition.
Military personnel and emergency teams have joined the search, while Guinea’s Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah has visited the scene.
The disaster has also revived concerns about the safety of waste sites after a similar collapse at the location killed 10 people in 2017.
