By: Mohamed J. Bangura
The Government of Sierra Leone has confirmed the deaths of 17 Sierra Leonean nationals following a devastating landfill landslide in Conakry, Guinea, while 54 others have been rescued and provided with immediate humanitarian assistance.
The latest figures were contained in an update issued on 28 August 2026 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, following an earlier statement released on 25 August regarding the disaster at the Dar-es-Salam landfill in Conakry.
According to the Ministry, a joint identification exercise conducted by Guinean authorities and officials from the Sierra Leone Embassy in Guinea at designated hospital mortuaries in Conakry confirmed that the 17 deceased Sierra Leoneans comprised 14 men and three women.
The Guinean Government has so far reported 34 fatalities from the landslide. However, recovery and identification operations remain ongoing as authorities continue efforts to establish the identities of the deceased and account for people who may still be missing.
The Sierra Leone Embassy in Conakry has also confirmed 54 Sierra Leonean survivors, comprising 32 women, 17 men and five minors.
Following the disaster, the Government of Sierra Leone has continued to provide humanitarian and consular support to affected nationals. The Ministry said immediate assistance, including food, clothing and other essential supplies, has already been provided to survivors.
Further humanitarian and consular needs are also being assessed in collaboration with the relevant Guinean authorities.
The Ministry said the Sierra Leone Embassy remains actively engaged with the Guinean authorities as recovery and identification operations continue. Embassy officials are also maintaining contact with affected Sierra Leonean families and monitoring the situation closely.
The Government of Sierra Leone has extended its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, while expressing solidarity with the Government and people of Guinea during the difficult period.
The Ministry also acknowledged the cooperation and assistance provided by the Government of Guinea throughout the recovery, identification and humanitarian response.
The tragedy has raised concerns about the safety of communities living and working around landfill sites, particularly in densely populated urban areas. It has also highlighted the importance of effective waste management, environmental protection and public safety measures.
As recovery operations continue, the Ministry has urged the public to exercise caution when sharing information about casualties and missing persons. It stressed that the situation remains sensitive and evolving and called on the public to rely only on officially verified information.
The Government said it will continue monitoring developments through the Sierra Leone Embassy in Guinea and will provide further updates as verified information becomes available.
Authorities in Sierra Leone and Guinea are expected to continue working together to complete the identification process, locate any missing persons and provide additional support to survivors and affected families.