A Guinea landfill collapse has killed at least 30 people in the capital, Conakry, after a huge mound of rubbish collapsed onto nearby homes following heavy rainfall.
The disaster occurred before dawn on Sunday in the Dar-es-salam neighbourhood of the Bbessia district, on the outskirts of Conakry. Six people were also seriously injured in the incident, according to a government statement.
Rescue teams were deployed to search through the debris for survivors and recover bodies, with excavators used to clear the collapsed landfill site.
Guinea’s Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the scene as emergency workers continued rescue operations. Authorities said measures had been taken to provide medical care for injured victims and assistance to residents affected by the tragedy.
Before the official death toll was announced, neighbourhood leader Lancine Sylla said rescuers had recovered 18 bodies from the site.
Former Guinean prime minister and opposition figure Cellou Dalein Diallo described the incident as a tragedy and called for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
The disaster happened on the same day the closure of the landfill had reportedly been planned. Authorities had earlier ordered residents living around the site to leave because of concerns over a possible collapse.