At least 21 people have died following a landslide at the Kiteezi landfill in Kampala, Uganda.
Rescuers continue to sift through the massive pile of waste, hoping to find additional survivors after the landslide, which occurred after weeks of heavy rain.
The 36-acre (14-hectare) Kiteezi landfill is the only waste disposal site for Kampala, a city with an estimated population of four million.
Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago described the event as “a disaster [that] was bound to happen,” and warned that “many, many more could be still buried.”
The landfill, which has long been a site of concern, experienced a massive collapse late Friday night. This collapse buried several houses on the landfill’s edge while residents slept, according to Reuters.
President Yoweri Museveni has ordered an investigation into how people were allowed to live so close to the “potentially hazardous and dangerous heap” and has demanded the evacuation of those in what he described as the “danger zone.”
Initially, the death toll was reported as eight, including two children. However, by Sunday, Kampala police spokesman Patrick Onyango confirmed that the number had risen to 21, with 14 people rescued and the search ongoing.
“The rescue operation is still ongoing until we are sure no-one is trapped,” Onyango said.
The landslide has displaced around 1,000 people, though it’s unclear how many were living directly on the site.
Many individuals make a living by scavenging through the landfill for items that can be resold. The Uganda Red Cross is providing temporary shelters to those affected by the disaster.
Source-BBC
