In a tragic turn of events, a catastrophic landslide claimed the lives of at least 30 individuals in Guinea on Sunday. The disaster unfurled when a towering open-air landfill, resting in a mountainous terrain, succumbed to collapse, entombing a cluster of shanties beneath a crushing deluge of garbage.
The landslide unfolded at Dar Es Salam, Conakry’s largest waste disposal site, situated in the heart of Guinea’s bustling capital. This somber event was initially reported by The Associated Press, shedding light on the precarious living conditions adjacent to the vast dump.
As detailed by Guinea News, the sheer weight of the accumulated waste exerted such immense pressure that it led to the collapse of a nearby three-story structure. Reports highlight the devastating consequences of the landfill’s overbearing load.
Compounding the tragedy, local authorities pointed to torrential rains that drenched the region overnight, exacerbating the already perilous conditions at the dump site. This interplay of natural elements and human error underscores the dire need for improved waste management strategies.
In the aftermath, both community members and rescue teams could be seen utilizing excavators in a desperate search for survivors amid the debris at Dar Es Salam, Conakry, following the landslide on August 23, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
Six people were seriously injured and several homes were destroyed in the incident, according to reports. Officials launched a search-and-rescue operation to find any survivors.
The AP reported that the landfill was originally scheduled to close Sunday after officials warned of hazardous conditions, citing Lt. Col. Baldé Mamadou Bailo, the sanitation officer for the military engineering battalion.
The decision followed reports of a similar incident at the landfill in recent years, raising concerns about its safety.
Thirty people were killed and six others seriously injured after a landslide struck the Dar Es Salam dumpsite in Conakry, Guinea, on Aug. 23, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
As a precautionary measure, residents who lived near the site had also been given eviction notices and were forced to vacate the area, the AP said.
However, many people remained nearby at the time of the disaster, according to reports.
The Dar Es Salam landfill collapsed following heavy overnight rain in Conakry, Guinea, on Aug. 23, 2026. (AFP via Getty Images)
“We will ensure that the remaining families are relocated elsewhere,” Dienabou Touré, the minister of territorial administration and decentralization, said at the scene, according to the AP.
Reuters reported that the landfill suffered a similar incident in 2017, when torrential rains caused a mudslide that killed at least eight people.