Weeks of heavy rain caused a massive landslide in the country’s capital, Kampala, which buried local homes.
13:40•Updated 13:46
At least 13 people have died in a landslide that occurred in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, on Friday. According to the local police, the search for survivors is still ongoing.
The accident started late on Friday when weeks of heavy rains caused a landslide at Kampala’s Kiteezi Landfill. During the night, the landslide buried local homes where their inhabitants were sleeping.
The Kiteezi waste area has served as the capital’s only landfill for decades. The residents of the area have long been complaining about the environmental damage caused by the growing mountain of waste and the danger posed to the residents.
Africa has seen similar tragedies in the past caused by inadequate waste handling. In 2017, at least 115 people died in a landslide that started at a landfill in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Also in Maputo, Mozambique, at least 17 people died in a similar accident in 2018.
Source: Reuters