Guinea Landfill Collapse Kills 31 People in Capital Conakry
FlatRigor 5014 sources
The Story
At least 31 people have died after a mound of rubbish at a major waste site collapsed onto nearby homes in Guinea's capital, Conakry. Another 22 people sustained injuries, with six seriously. The incident occurred in the city's Dar-es-Salam area around 02:00 local time following heavy rain overnight. "" resources and personnel, including the military, were deployed to search for survivors. One woman reported that her five children died in the disaster. An eyewitness, Robert Kamano Sâa, described a second section of the site collapsing in three successive stages after initial rescue attempts. Mamadouba Bangoura, who lost his house, stated his family was woken by a loud noise from the first wave of rubbish, followed by a second wave that destroyed their home. Guinea's Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah visited the scene to assess the situation and oversee search efforts. The government had recently ordered the expulsion of nearby residents in informal housing due to concerns about collapses. Balde Mamadou Bailo, sanitation officer for the Military Engineering Battalion, said the Dar Es Salam site had been slated for closure on Sunday. Guinea's minister of territorial administration, Djenabou Toure, announced on Thursday that the government was closing the landfill due to safety concerns and planned to relocate the waste outside Conakry. The collapse occurred less than a week after these closure plans were announced. Heavy seasonal rains are known to trigger landfill collapses, with Uganda and Ethiopia experiencing similar tragedies in recent years. Guinea holds the world’s largest bauxite reserves and the richest untapped iron ore deposit at Simandou. An April World Bank report states 3.7 million of Guinea's 15.1 million people live on less than $4.20 a day.
The Spread
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What they agree on
- A landfill collapse in Conakry, Guinea, has resulted in at least 30 deaths.
- The collapse occurred in the Dar-es-Salam area of Conakry following heavy overnight rains.
- Rescue operations are underway, with military personnel and excavators deployed to search for survivors.
- The government had recently announced plans to close the Dar Es Salam landfill due to safety concerns, with the site slated for closure on Sunday.
- Heavy seasonal rains are identified as the cause of the mound of rubbish collapsing onto nearby homes.
Where they split
- BBC News reports the death toll at 31, while CNN, AllAfrica, and The Guardian state the death toll at 30.
- The Independent and BBC News include a quote from an eyewitness describing a second collapse that buried people attempting to rescue others.
- Deutsche Welle and AllAfrica highlight that the landfill was slated for closure on Sunday and that residents in informal housing nearby had been ordered to evacuate.
- The Guardian and Daily Maverick provide additional context on Guinea's economic situation, mentioning its bauxite reserves, iron ore deposits, poor infrastructure, and poverty levels.
Source Perspectives
Left5 sources
Right2 sources