After recent heavy rains, a large mass of garbage from Kampala’s sole landfill collapsed, burying and destroying nearby homes.
The number of fatalities from a landslide at a significant garbage dump in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, has climbed to 21, according to police on Sunday, as rescue crews continued their search for survivors.
Recent heavy rains caused a massive heap of waste at the city’s only landfill to collapse late Friday, crushing and burying nearby homes as residents slept.
President Yoweri Museveni stated that he had directed the prime minister to oversee the evacuation of all those residing close to the dump.
The government has initiated an investigation into the cause of the landslide and plans to hold any negligent officials accountable, as stated by the Inspectorate of Government on X.
According to police spokesperson Patrick Onyango, at least 14 people have been rescued, but there may still be others trapped, though the exact number is uncertain.
Tents have been set up nearby for those who have been displaced by the landslide, according to the Red Cross.
The Kiteezi landfill, which has served as Kampala’s primary garbage dump for decades, has grown into a large hill. Residents have long complained about hazardous waste contaminating the environment and posing risks to the community.
The city’s efforts to find a new landfill site have been stalled for years.
Other parts of Africa have also experienced similar tragedies due to poorly managed waste sites.
In 2017, a landslide at a garbage dump in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, claimed at least 115 lives, while a 2018 incident in Maputo, Mozambique, resulted in at least 17 deaths.