Eight people, including two children, lost their lives when a landfill in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, collapsed on Saturday, according to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). The tragic incident occurred in Kiteezi, a district in the northern part of Kampala, following heavy rainfall that triggered a landslide at the garbage dump.
Local media reported that the landslide engulfed homes, people, and animals in the area, leading to the significant loss of life and damage. The KCCA, which manages the landfill, confirmed the deaths in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “On a very sad note, eight people have so far been found dead, six adults and two children,” the statement read.
In addition to the fatalities, the KCCA reported that 14 people had been rescued and taken to the hospital. However, the authority did not provide details about the condition of those injured. “The rescue operation is still ongoing and we shall share updates as they come in,” the KCCA stated, indicating that efforts to find more survivors or victims were continuing.
Images from the scene showed an excavator working through the piles of rubbish, while crowds of local residents watched the rescue operation unfold. The KCCA explained that the collapse was due to a “structural failure in waste mass this morning resulting in a collapsed section of the landfill.”
The authority assured the public that it, along with other government agencies, was taking necessary measures to secure the area and prevent further incidents.
This tragic event follows warnings earlier in the year from Erias Lukwago, the head of the KCCA, who cautioned about the health hazards faced by those living and working near the Kiteezi landfill due to the site’s overflowing waste. The incident has highlighted the urgent need for addressing the safety and environmental concerns surrounding the landfill in Kampala.
