Thirty people lost their lives in Guinea’s capital Conakry early Sunday when a large mound of rubbish at a landfill suddenly collapsed onto nearby homes after heavy overnight rains. The tragedy struck around 2 am local time in the Bbessia district’s Dar-es-salam neighbourhood on the city’s outskirts.
According to a government statement, six other people suffered serious injuries in the incident. Authorities immediately sent significant teams and equipment to the site to search for anyone still trapped, rescue survivors, and recover bodies. Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the scene where excavators worked through the collapsed waste under the watch of local residents.
Before the official death toll was released, neighbourhood leader Lancine Sylla told reporters that 18 bodies had already been pulled out and taken to the morgue. He expressed fear that the final number could rise further. One of the country’s main opposition figures, former prime minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, who lives in exile, described the accident as a tragedy that leaves the nation in deep sorrow. He noted that the dump was supposed to close on the same day the collapse occurred and called for a full and transparent investigation into the causes.
In the days leading up to the disaster, the government had ordered people living near the landfill to leave because of growing worries about a possible collapse. Despite those warnings, the heavy rains appear to have made the unstable mound give way without enough time for everyone to escape. Medical care has been arranged for the wounded, and support is being provided to families affected by the loss of homes and loved ones.
Guinea is currently led by General Mamadi Doumbouya, who took power in a 2021 coup and was later elected president in December 2025. The deadly collapse has once again drawn attention to the risks faced by communities living beside large waste sites in the capital. Rescuers continue their work around the clock, racing against time in the hope of finding anyone who may still be alive under the debris. The government has promised to assist all those hit by this sudden and heartbreaking event.
