Landslide at Conakry waste dump kills 30 people and injures 22 in Guinea

Overnight collapse in Gbessia

A rubbish dump collapsed onto a residential neighbourhood in a suburb of Conakry, Guinea, in the early morning of 23 August 2026, killing 30 people and injuring 22. The disaster struck at 02:00 local time in the Dar es Salaam district, situated within the commune of Gbessia. Heavy downpours that fell across the area overnight triggered the destabilization of the waste mound. The resulting landslide caused several residential homes at the base of the dump to collapse entirely while occupants were inside.

Emergency response and casualty toll

The Guinean government announced that specialized rescue teams and equipment were deployed to the disaster zone immediately following the collapse. Authorities focused their operations on locating people who might still be trapped under the debris, providing medical aid to survivors, and recovering bodies. According to the official government statement, 30 people were confirmed dead. The disaster also left 22 people injured, including six with severe injuries and 16 who sustained light wounds.

Guinean Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah visited the site of the disaster in Gbessia to assess the situation and coordinate state assistance. The government confirmed that arrangements were established to guarantee hospital treatment for all 22 injured individuals and to distribute emergency relief to affected households. Rescue workers continued clearing operations at the site throughout the day to verify that no additional victims remained buried.

Scrutiny over scheduled landfill closure

The fatal incident drew swift reaction from Guinean political figures, focusing attention on the site's operational schedule. Former Guinean Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, an opposition figure currently living in exile, posted a response on Facebook describing the event as a shock with numerous victims before the official government toll was released. Diallo stressed that the waste facility had been scheduled to shut down on the day of the disaster.

This drama is even more disturbing because the closure of the landfill had been announced for this Sunday 23 August. It is now up to the competent services to establish, with complete transparency, the circumstances that led to this disaster and for all consequences to follow.

Diallo urged competent state services to conduct a fully transparent inquiry to determine the circumstances leading to the collapse and establish accountability.

Governance and national context

The disaster in Conakry occurred under the administration of President Mamadi Doumbouya, who leads the West African nation. General Doumbouya initially took power in Guinea following a military coup in 2021. After leading a transitional administration, he was elected president in December 2025.

The Gbessia municipal collapse placed immediate focus on national safety protocols and municipal management under Doumbouya's government. Guinean authorities reported that rescue and recovery operations remained active in the Dar es Salaam district as emergency crews continued working through the collapsed structures.