Guinea Landfill Landslide Kills 30 as Rescuers Search for Survivors

Rescuers comb Conakry landfill after 30 killed in landslide

At least 30 people have been killed and more are feared missing after a landslide at a sprawling landfill in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, authorities said on Sunday. Rescue workers are digging through mountains of debris in a desperate search for survivors, two days after the disaster struck on August 23, 2026.

The collapse buried a section of the dumpsite where informal waste pickers and nearby residents had built makeshift homes. Emergency teams, including civil protection units and local volunteers, are using excavators and hand tools to clear the unstable refuse, but heavy rains and the sheer volume of waste are hampering efforts.

Emergency response intensifies

Guinea’s emergency services are leading the operation, with authorities calling for additional equipment and medical support. The landfill, one of the main disposal sites for the city of nearly two million people, has long been a dangerous but vital source of income for hundreds of scavengers who sift through rubbish for recyclable materials.

“We are still searching. The number of victims may rise because many people were on the site when it happened,” a civil protection official told local media, as the first bodies were recovered from the mud and debris. Access roads remain treacherous, slowing the arrival of heavy machinery.

Long-standing waste crisis in spotlight

The disaster highlights chronic waste-management and land-use challenges in Guinea. Unregulated landfills often encroach on residential areas, exposing communities to landslides, toxic fumes and disease. In Conakry, years of rapid urbanisation have outpaced infrastructure, leaving informal settlements precariously perched on the edges of dumpsites.

While the immediate focus is on rescue and recovery, the tragedy is likely to intensify calls for a review of safety protocols at waste disposal sites across the West African nation. Officials have not yet released a final list of the missing, and the death toll is expected to climb as the search continues.