Landfill collides murders more than 20 in Uganda
Date
8/13/2024 8:15:49 AM
(MENAFN) In a tragic event in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, a massive landslide at the Kiteezi landfill has resulted in the deaths of at least 21 individuals, including a three-month-old infant. The disaster struck on Friday night when a substantial portion of the city’s sole waste disposal site gave way after weeks of heavy rainfall. Homes situated on the periphery of the landfill were engulfed and buried under the collapsing waste, catching residents off guard as they slept.
The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) reported on Saturday that the collapse was triggered by a "structural failure in waste mass" which caused a significant section of the landfill to fall. By the end of Saturday, rescue teams had managed to save 14 people who were subsequently hospitalized, according to a KCCA statement.
On Sunday, Kampala police spokesperson Patrick Onyango informed AFP that approximately 1,000 people had been forced to evacuate their homes due to the disaster. Rescue efforts were ongoing, with authorities committed to ensuring no one remained trapped beneath the rubble.
The Uganda Red Cross Society has been actively coordinating with local authorities to provide humanitarian aid. Emergency shelter tents have been set up to accommodate the displaced families, addressing their immediate needs in the wake of the disaster.
The Kiteezi landfill, a 14-hectare site operational for nearly 30 years, handles approximately 1,500 tons of waste daily from across Kampala. The landfill has long been a source of environmental concerns, with residents complaining about hazardous pollution. Authorities had proposed closing the site in 2016 in favor of a new waste management facility located outside the city. However, financial difficulties have delayed this plan, leaving Kiteezi as the city’s primary waste disposal site.
The collapse of the Kiteezi landfill highlights the urgent need for improved waste management infrastructure and better safety measures to prevent such disasters in the future.
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