Guinea Landfill Collapse in Conakry Kills 30 People

At least 30 people have been killed after a mountainous heap of refuse collapsed at the largest landfill in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, according to an updated toll released by the central government. The disaster struck early on Sunday at approximately 2:00 am local time (0200 GMT) in the Dar-es-salam neighbourhood within the Bbessia district. Heavy rains overnight and around 3:00 am washed over the refuse, triggering a massive landslide that buried nearby shacks and homes before dawn.

Landfill Collapse in Conakry Kills 30 People

In addition to those killed, at least 22 people were injured in the disaster, with six individuals suffering serious wounds. One woman recounted to local media that her five children had died in the collapse. Officials have expressed fears that the final death toll could rise further as recovery efforts continue.

Emergency Response and Search Operations

Following the disaster, the government announced that significant material and human resources—including the military—had been deployed to search for survivors, rescue victims, and recover bodies. Rescuers and workers utilized excavators and earthmovers to comb through the mountain of scattered rubbish at the site while crowds of local onlookers gathered nearby.

Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the scene of the accident to assess the situation, oversee rescue operations, and coordinate assistance. Guinea’s minister for territorial administration, Djenabou Toure, also visited the site, stating she was waiting for search-and-rescue operations to conclude before providing further official figures. The government stated that measures have been put in place to ensure medical care for the wounded and provide assistance for those affected by the tragedy.

Before the release of the official government figures, Lancine Sylla, head of the Dar-es-Salaam suburb, told the AFP news agency that he feared a heavy death toll. We have pulled out 18 bodies that were taken to the morgue, Sylla said.

Prior Warnings and Scheduled Closure

The disaster occurred on the exact day the Dar-es-Salam landfill was designated for closure. Lieutenant Colonel Balde Mamadou Bailo, the sanitation officer for the Military Engineering Battalion, confirmed that the site was slated to be shut down on Sunday.

Guinea Landfill Collapse in Conakry Kills 30 People — Photo: SCMP

In the days leading up to the collapse, authorities had ordered the expulsion of nearby residents living in informal housing and mandated safety measures around the site due to mounting fears of a potential landslide. However, reports noted that many local residents were still present in the area when the disaster struck.

Rescuers use an excavator to comb through a mountain of scattered rubbish at a major waste site in Conakry, Guinea, as local — Photo: bbc.co.uk

Cellou Dalein Diallo, one of Guinea’s main opposition figures and a former prime minister currently in exile abroad, addressed the incident on Facebook. He described the event as a tragedy that plunges us into dismay, noting that the accident was particularly worrying because the closure of the dump had already been publicly announced for that same day. He called upon competent authorities to establish the circumstances of the disaster with full transparency.

The West African nation is led by General Mamadi Doumbouya, who came to power following a 2021 coup before being elected president in December 2025. A similar landslide at the same Conakry landfill previously killed 10 people in 2017.