CONAKRY, 24 August, 2026 (Kamran Raja): At least 30 people were killed after a massive pile of waste collapsed at the largest landfill in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, following heavy rains, government officials said. The incident occurred early Sunday at the Dar Es Salam landfill after heavy rainfall began around 2 a.m. Authorities said the rainwater swept over the huge pile of refuse, triggering a landslide that buried nearby makeshift homes. A search and rescue operation was launched to locate survivors and recover victims. Six people were seriously injured, while several homes were destroyed in the disaster. According to Lt. Col. Baldé Mamadou Bailo, sanitation officer for the military engineering battalion, the open-air landfill had been scheduled to close on Sunday.Authorities had previously issued eviction notices to residents living around the landfill, forcing many families to leave the area. However, a number of people were still present when the landslide occurred. Dienabou Touré, the minister of territorial administration and decentralization, said the government would ensure that families remaining near the landfill were relocated to safer areas. The tragedy highlights the risks faced by communities living near large waste sites, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall. Guinea is rich in natural resources and has the world’s largest known deposits of bauxite, along with significant reserves of iron ore, gold and diamonds. Despite its mineral wealth, the World Bank estimates that 43.7 percent of the country’s population lives below the national poverty line.