At least 30 people died after a massive waste mound collapsed at the Dar Es Salam landfill in Conakry [1].
The disaster highlights the extreme vulnerability of informal settlements located near hazardous waste sites in Guinea's capital. The collapse buried shacks and shelters where people lived and worked near the city's largest dump [2].
The landslide occurred in the early hours of Aug. 23, 2024 [1]. Heavy rains overnight triggered the instability of the waste mound, causing it to slide onto the surrounding area [1, 2].
Government officials said the death toll was 30 [1]. Other early reports from officials said at least 22 people had died [4].
The Dar Es Salam site has been a known safety risk. Officials said they had previously ordered evictions from the area and planned to close the landfill entirely due to ongoing safety concerns [1, 3].
Emergency teams worked to recover bodies from the debris of the landfill. The disaster follows a pattern of weather-related instability in the region, where heavy rainfall frequently impacts infrastructure, and informal housing [2].
“At least 30 people died after a massive waste mound collapsed”
This event underscores the critical intersection of urban poverty and environmental mismanagement. The fact that the government had already identified the site as a hazard and ordered evictions suggests a gap between policy recognition and the actual enforcement of safety zones, leaving marginalized populations exposed to predictable disasters during the rainy season.
