A landslide at the Kiteezi landfill in Kampala, Uganda, has claimed the lives of at least 12 people. The disaster occurred following weeks of torrential rain, causing a massive hill of accumulated waste at the 36-acre site to collapse late on Friday night. The landslide buried several houses on the edge of the landfill while residents were asleep.
Rescue teams have been working tirelessly to search through the debris, hoping to find more survivors. As of Sunday, four additional bodies were recovered, bringing the death toll to 12, including two children. Fourteen people have been rescued so far, according to Kampala police spokesman Patrick Onyango. The search operation will continue until authorities are confident that no one remains trapped under the rubble.
The Kiteezi landfill is the only one serving Kampala, a city with an estimated population of four million. Many residents, who rely on scavenging through the landfill for resellable items, were forced to leave their homes due to the landslide. Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago described the event as a disaster that was “bound to happen,” as city authorities have reportedly been searching for a new landfill site for years.
The Uganda Red Cross is providing temporary shelter to those displaced by the landslide, with many still in need of assistance.