At least 25 people have been killed in a landslide at a massive landfill in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, according to local authorities, who do not expect to find any survivors under the mountains of waste.
Homes, animals, and people have been buried under the heaps of garbage. The landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall. So far, only bodies have been recovered. Rescue teams continue their search, but there is little hope of finding survivors, according to local media.
The landfill, established in 1996, receives nearly all of Kampala’s waste. Many people live and make a living there by scavenging for items that can be sold. Authorities have now announced the creation of a protective zone around the landfill. Over 1,000 people were evacuated from their homes in the vicinity of the landfill following the landslide.
President Yoweri Museveni has ordered special police forces to assist in the search efforts and questioned, “Who allowed people to live near such a potentially toxic and dangerous site?”