At least 30 people were killed when a massive garbage heap collapsed at a landfill in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, officials said. The mound of waste fell onto nearby homes, and rescue workers began searching for anyone still buried beneath the debris.
According to AP News, officials confirmed the death toll of 30, though that number could rise as rescuers continued working through the site. The collapse sent large amounts of refuse sliding into a residential area adjacent to the landfill.
The BBC, Sky News, and Al Jazeera also reported on the disaster. Sky News described the event as a landfill site where a mound of waste collapsed. Fox News reported the heap fell directly onto homes.
Landfill collapses and landslides at waste sites have occurred in several countries in recent years, often in areas where informal settlements have grown up close to garbage disposal sites. Conakry is one of West Africa's more densely populated capital cities, and land near waste facilities is frequently occupied by residents with few other housing options.
Rescue efforts were still underway as of Sunday, with no final count of survivors or additional victims confirmed.
