KAMPALA: A landslide at a landfill site in the Ugandan capital Kampala has killed eight people, city authorities said on Saturday.
The incident occurred late Friday after heavy rains when parts of the landfill collapsed and covered some nearby houses, Ugandan media reported.
The Kampala capital city office said government and Red Cross workers searched the site and rescued 14 people.
“It is very sad that eight dead have been found so far, six adults and two children. The rescue operation is still ongoing…,” the office said on its X account.
The dump, known as Kiteezi, served as Kampala’s only garbage dump for decades and turned into a large hill.
Residents have been complaining for a long time that hazardous waste from the site pollutes the environment and poses a danger to people.
Footage from NTV Uganda showed people walking on part of the dump that crushed parts of a house, while footage from UBC Uganda showed an excavator trying to dig out the rubbish.
Parts of Uganda have been experiencing heavy rains in recent weeks, causing flooding and landslides, although no casualties have previously been reported.
