Landfill collapse in Conakry kills 30, injures six

A massive collapse of a municipal landfill in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, killed at least 30 people, injured six others and razed several homes after torrential rains triggered the disaster on Thursday. Emergency services arrived within hours, extracting victims from the debris and transporting the injured to nearby hospitals, while authorities declared a state of emergency for the affected neighborhoods.

The collapse is attributed to the saturation of waste material by the heavy rainfall that has battered the region in recent days, destabilizing the heap and causing it to give way. Local officials have ordered an immediate investigation into the landfill’s construction and maintenance practices, and the government has pledged assistance for displaced families, including temporary shelter and reconstruction aid. The incident underscores ongoing challenges in waste management and urban planning in rapidly growing West African cities.