Banking News – At least 30 people have died after a landslide at Guinea’s largest landfill in the capital Conakry, according to government officials. Following heavy rainfall on Sunday morning, a large section of waste collapsed at the landfill in Dar es Salam, burying nearby shantytowns. Six people have been seriously injured and many homes have been damaged in the incident.

According to officials, the waste was swept into surrounding settlements due to heavy rains that began around 2:00 AM. Search and rescue operations for survivors are ongoing. Lieutenant Colonel Balde Mamadou Bailo, a sanitation officer with the military engineering battalion, said the landfill was scheduled to be closed starting Sunday.

Local residents living near the landfill had been notified earlier to relocate elsewhere. Despite this, officials stated that many people remained in the area when the landslide occurred. Minister of Regional Administration and Decentralization M’Bemba Toure visited the site and announced that remaining families would be relocated to safe areas.

Guinea is a mineral-rich country, home to the world’s largest bauxite reserves along with deposits of iron ore, gold, and diamonds. However, according to the World Bank, 43.7 percent of the country’s population lives below the national poverty line.