A landslide at Guinea’s largest landfill in the capital, Conakry, has killed at least 30 people, according to government officials.
The disaster happened early Sunday at the Dar Es Salam landfill after heavy rainfall began around 2 a.m. The rain washed over a large pile of rubbish, causing it to collapse and bury nearby makeshift homes.
Rescue workers searched through the debris for survivors. Six people suffered serious injuries, while several homes were destroyed.
The landfill, an open-air waste dump, had been scheduled for closure on Sunday, according to Lt. Col. Baldé Mamadou Bailo, a sanitation officer with the military engineering battalion.
Authorities had previously issued eviction notices to residents living around the landfill. While many people had already left the area, others remained there when the landslide occurred.
Dienabou Touré, Guinea’s minister of territorial administration and decentralization, said the government would relocate families still living near the site.
“We will ensure that the remaining families are relocated elsewhere,” Touré said at the scene.
The disaster has highlighted the dangers faced by people living close to waste disposal sites in the country.
Guinea is rich in natural resources, including bauxite, iron ore, gold and diamonds. The country has the world’s largest known bauxite reserves. However, the World Bank estimates that 43.7% of Guinea’s population lives below the national poverty line.
