A massive landfill collapse in Conakry, Guinea, has killed at least 30 people and injured 22 others after heavy overnight rains triggered a landslide on August 23, 2026. The disaster buried nearby shacks in the Dar-es-Salam neighborhood. Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the site as military and civil rescue teams searched for survivors. The tragedy occurred on the exact day the dump was scheduled for closure, drawing sharp criticism from exiled opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo.
Conakry landfill collapse
- ▪The landfill collapse occurred in the Dar-es-Salam neighborhood, located in the Bbessia district on the outskirts of Conakry, Guinea
- ▪A mountainous heap of refuse collapsed onto nearby homes at the largest landfill in Conakry, Guinea, in the early hours of August 23, 2026
Heavy rain trigger
- ▪Heavy overnight rains triggered the landslide at the Conakry landfill, washing over the refuse and burying nearby shacks
- ▪The landslide at the Conakry landfill occurred between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. local time on August 23, 2026
Death toll
- ▪At least 30 people were killed in the Conakry landfill collapse, according to a statement released by the Guinean government
- ▪Dar-es-Salam neighborhood leader Lancine Sylla reported that rescuers pulled 18 bodies from the Conakry landfill debris to be taken to the morgue
- ▪At least 22 people were injured in the Conakry landfill collapse, with six individuals suffering serious injuries
Rescue operations
- ▪Guinean Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the Conakry landfill site to assess the situation and oversee search-and-rescue efforts
- ▪The Guinean government deployed military personnel, civil protection services, and excavators to search for survivors buried under the Conakry landfill debris
Prior eviction orders
- ▪A previous landslide at the same Conakry landfill site killed 10 people in 2017
- ▪The Guinean government ordered the eviction of residents living near the Conakry landfill in the days leading up to the collapse due to safety concerns
Scheduled closure plans
- ▪The Conakry landfill was designated for official closure on Sunday, August 23, 2026, the same day the collapse occurred
- ▪Exiled Guinean opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo called for competent authorities to transparently establish the circumstances leading to the disaster
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