Landfill Collapse in Guinea Kills 30 Following Heavy Rainfall

On 23 August 2026, a large section of the Dar-es-Salam landfill in Conakry, Guinea, collapsed following heavy rainfall, killing 30 people and injuring 22 others, including six seriously.

WasteCulture

The collapse occurred at around 2 a.m. and buried nearby homes and makeshift shelters. Search and rescue operations were launched following the incident. [Reuters], [Euronews], [The Washington Times]

The incident occurred as authorities were preparing to close the landfill. The government had cited safety concerns, particularly during the rainy season, and the site was scheduled to close on 23 August, the same day as the collapse. Residents living close to the landfill had also received eviction notices, although many people remained in the area. [Reuters], [Euronews], [Political.org], [The Washington Times]

According to residents and local activists, concerns about the safety of the landfill had been raised previously. These accounts provide additional context surrounding the site, although the precise technical causes of the collapse have not yet been established through an official investigation. [Africanews], [The Peninsula Qatar]

The incident highlights the importance of safety management at landfill sites, particularly where large waste accumulations are located close to residential areas. Factors including slope stability, drainage, waste placement, site monitoring and appropriate closure planning are important considerations in managing risks at disposal facilities.

A previous collapse at the same landfill

The Dar-es-Salam landfill has experienced a fatal collapse before. In August 2017, part of the site collapsed following heavy rainfall, burying nearby houses and killing at least eight people, according to contemporary reports. [Waste360], [Africanews]

The 2017 incident and the latest collapse underline the importance of assessing and managing risks at landfill sites, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall and at facilities approaching closure.

The events in Conakry also illustrate the wider relationship between waste infrastructure and community safety. Where disposal sites are located close to residential areas, effective operation, monitoring, risk assessment and closure procedures are essential to reducing potential risks to surrounding communities.

Following the latest collapse, authorities continued search and rescue operations and said that families remaining around the landfill would be relocated. The government has also indicated that the waste facility is to be moved outside the city. [Reuters], [Euronews], [The Peninsula Qatar]