Tragic Landslide in Conakry, Guinea
Torrential rains led to a massive landslide in Conakry, Guinea’s capital, early Sunday morning, claiming at least 30 lives as homes were fully engulfed by the sliding debris. The scene of destruction was largely attributed to a huge pile of garbage that had built up over time.
City sanitation officials indicated that the Dar Es Salam landfill, the main waste disposal site in the city, was slated to be closed on that very day. Minister of Territorial Administration, Djenab Toure, had announced a plan the previous Thursday to relocate trash from the hazardous site to a more distant dumping ground, as many considered the landfill unsafe. Conakry is home to approximately two million residents.
This particular landfill had previously been the site of a deadly landslide in 2017, which resulted in ten fatalities. Civil engineers had previously warned residents living in makeshift homes around the landfill’s edges, urging them to evacuate, but those warnings largely went unheeded.
Heavy rain overnight triggered the feared disaster, leading to three massive waves of debris rolling down the garbage mound. Survivors recounted that the second wave proved to be the most destructive.
“People rushed to help and climbed on the refuse to see if anyone was trapped,” described eyewitness Robert Kamao Saa. “That’s when the second section fell apart in three parts, crashing down. It was overwhelming.”
A heartbroken woman recounted, “I’ve lost all my children. All I can do is put my trust in God.” Her five children were buried beneath the landslide.
Another victim, Mamadouba Bangoura, lost his home but managed to save his family. He expressed the difficulty of describing the pain of witnessing such loss. “It’s incredibly hard to talk about. Seeing lives lost like that is heartbreaking,” he said.
Toure visited the disaster site on Monday, pledging to relocate affected families. Health Minister Khaite Sall assured that those injured in the incident would receive medical care at no cost.
Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah appealed to the public for calm and support for rescue operations, stating, “We’ve taken all necessary steps to ensure that the injured receive care, especially at Donka National Hospital, as well as aid for those impacted by this disaster.”
Guinea’s current leader, President Mamady Doumbouya, a military general who seized power in a coup in 2021, consolidating his control through a presidential election in 2025, has faced criticism. Recently, he faced scrutiny after taking a sudden luxury trip to Greece, with speculation about his health or potential political challenges swirling around his absence.
Doumbouya has been labeled a tyrant by opposition figures, many of whom highlight the stark contrast between his leadership and the dire living conditions of the country’s population, with many surviving on less than $4.20 a day, according to the World Bank.
Former president and opposition leader, Cellou Dalein Diallo, who was exiled after the ruling junta disbanded his political party, described the landfill collapse as a “tragedy that plunges us into dismay.” Diallo emphasized the magnitude of the situation, pointing out that the landfill was set to close on that very Sunday.
