The number of fatalities from the landslide at a large garbage dump in Uganda's capital, Kampala, has increased to 26, with 39 individuals still unaccounted for, according to police reports on Wednesday.
On Friday night, a massive heap of waste at a landfill on the outskirts of Kampala collapsed, burying numerous dwellings where people were asleep. By Sunday, the confirmed death count was 21. Police have since found more bodies and have estimated the number of missing persons through survivor testimonies.
Among the missing are 35 local inhabitants and four waste collectors, as stated by the police. Excavation efforts are ongoing to locate those presumed dead. The landslide occurred after heavy rains that have affected parts of East Africa, leading to widespread flooding and destruction.
Residents living close to the landfill, which has been Kampala's sole waste disposal site for years, frequently express concerns about hazardous waste contaminating the environment and posing risks. Comparable incidents in other parts of Africa, such as the 2017 disaster in Ethiopia where at least 115 people died, highlight the dangers of poorly managed municipal waste.
