The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation says 17 Sierra Leoneans have been confirmed dead after the landfill collapsed in Conakry last week.
In a press release issued on 28 August, the Ministry said Guinean authorities and staff from the Sierra Leone Embassy in Guinea identified the 17 bodies at hospital mortuaries in Conakry. 14 were men and 3 were women.
The total number of people killed in the disaster has now reached 34, according to the Guinean government. Identification and recovery work is still ongoing, and the Embassy is continuing to work with local authorities to check outstanding cases and account for anyone still missing.
The Ministry also confirmed that 54 Sierra Leoneans survived the disaster – 32 women, 17 men and five children. They have already been given food, clothing and other essential supplies. Further needs are being assessed in coordination with Guinean officials.
The landslide happened in the early hours of Sunday 23 August at the Dar-es-Salam landfill in the Gbessia area of Conakry after heavy overnight rain. A large pile of rubbish gave way and buried nearby shacks and tents.
The Government of Sierra Leone has expressed its deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to everyone affected. It also expressed solidarity with the Government and people of Guinea.
The Ministry thanked the Guinean authorities for their cooperation during the recovery, identification and humanitarian response. The Embassy remains actively engaged with both Guinean officials and the affected Sierra Leonean families.
Given the sensitive and still-evolving situation, the Ministry has urged the public to handle information about casualties and missing persons carefully and to rely only on officially verified updates.
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