Guinea: At Least 31 Killed as Rubbish Mound Collapses Onto Homes in Conakry

• A massive waste mound collapsed onto residential homes in Conakry's Dar-es-Salam area at around 02:00 local time following heavy overnight rain
• The Guinean government confirmed at least 22 people were injured, with six in serious condition, as the military joined rescue efforts at the site
• One woman told local media she lost five children in the disaster, with authorities warning the death toll could rise further

At least 31 people have died after a large mound of rubbish at a waste site in Conakry collapsed onto homes in a residential neighbourhood, the Guinean government confirmed.

The collapse occurred at approximately 02:00 local time in the Dar-es-Salam area of the capital following heavy rainfall overnight. In addition to the fatalities, 22 people sustained injuries, six of whom are in serious condition.

BBC reported that authorities described the response as involving "significant" resources and personnel, including the deployment of military units to assist in the search for survivors.

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Rescue teams were subsequently filmed operating excavators through a sprawling mass of scattered rubbish as residents gathered at the perimeter of the site.

Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah travelled to the scene to assess conditions on the ground and oversee the ongoing search operation.

A woman who spoke to local media said she lost all five of her children in the disaster, underscoring the severity of the collapse's impact on the surrounding community.

Officials have cautioned that the number of confirmed deaths is expected to climb as rescue workers continue combing through the debris.

Death Toll Feared to Rise as Search Continues

The timing of the collapse, in the early hours of the morning when residents were asleep in their homes, significantly contributed to the scale of casualties.

The combination of heavy rain and the structural instability of the accumulated waste mound appears to have triggered the failure, though no formal technical assessment had been released at the time of publication.

Guinea's capital, Conakry, has long faced challenges with waste management and urban planning, with informal settlements often developing in proximity to large dumping sites. The Dar-es-Salam collapse reflects the lethal risks posed by inadequate waste infrastructure in densely populated urban areas across West Africa.

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Authorities have not confirmed how many people remain unaccounted for, but the scale of the rescue operation suggests the number of those missing could be substantial.

Source: YEN.com.gh