Thirty Killed After Landfill Collapse in Guinea’s Capital Following Heavy Rains

CONAKRY, Guinea — At least 30 people were killed in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, on Sunday after a large mound of rubbish collapsed onto nearby homes following heavy rainfall, the government said.

The disaster occurred at around 2:00 a.m. local time in the Dar-es-Salam neighbourhood of Bbessia, on the outskirts of the capital. Six people were seriously injured in the collapse, according to an official government statement.

Emergency teams were immediately deployed to the site to search for survivors, recover bodies and determine whether anyone remained trapped beneath the debris.

Rescue Operation Underway

Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the scene as rescue operations continued. Excavators were brought in to clear the collapsed landfill while emergency workers searched through the rubble for victims.

AFP photographers at the scene reported that a large crowd gathered as heavy machinery worked through the debris.

The government said significant human and material resources had been mobilised and that measures were being taken to provide medical treatment to the injured and assistance to people affected by the tragedy.

Before the government confirmed the death toll, local neighbourhood leader Lancine Sylla said residents had already recovered numerous bodies.

“We have pulled out 18 bodies that were taken to the morgue,” Sylla told AFP.

Fears Over Landfill Safety

The collapse has raised fresh questions about safety conditions around the landfill, particularly as authorities had reportedly ordered people living near the site to leave in recent days because of concerns that the rubbish mound could collapse.

One of Guinea’s leading opposition figures, former prime minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, described the incident as a tragedy and called for a transparent investigation into what led to the disaster.

Diallo also pointed out that the closure of the dump had reportedly been scheduled for Sunday, the same day as the collapse.

He said authorities should establish the circumstances surrounding the accident and draw the necessary conclusions.

Guinea Under New Political Leadership

The disaster comes as Guinea continues to undergo major political and institutional changes.

The country is led by General Mamadi Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 military coup before being elected president in December 2025.

The government has not yet provided further details on the circumstances that led to the landfill collapse or whether additional evacuations will be ordered around the site.

With rescue and recovery operations continuing, authorities are expected to assess the stability of the remaining landfill and provide further information on the victims and the condition of those injured.

The tragedy has highlighted the risks faced by communities living near waste-disposal sites, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall, and is likely to intensify calls for improved waste-management and public-safety measures in Conakry.