Landfill collapse kills 30 in Guinea's capital

At least 30 people were killed and six others seriously injured when a massive mound of rubbish collapsed onto homes in Conakry, Guinea, early Sunday morning, according to government officials. The disaster occurred at approximately 2:00 a.m. local time at the DaresSalam landfill in the Gbessia district on the capital's outskirts, following heavy overnight rains.

The government confirmed the preliminary death toll of 30 in a statement released Sunday afternoon. Six people sustained serious injuries, while 16 others suffered minor wounds. A search and rescue operation was immediately launched, involving emergency responders, medical teams, the Red Cross, security forces, and local residents. Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the site, where excavators were deployed to search for individuals potentially buried under the debris.

The DaresSalam site is Conakry's largest open-air waste dump. Authorities had scheduled its closure for Sunday, August 23, and had issued eviction notices to families living around the landfill in recent days due to fears of a collapse. Despite these warnings, many residents remained in the area when the landslide occurred. "We will ensure that the...