Death Toll from Kampala Garbage Landslide Rises to 35, Dozens Still Missing

The death toll from a devastating garbage landslide in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, has risen to 35, according to police reports on Friday. Among the victims, 12 were identified as young people, while at least 28 others remain missing.

The tragedy struck late last Friday at the Kiteezi landfill, located on the northern outskirts of Kampala. A massive chunk of the garbage mound collapsed, burying dozens of nearby homes while residents were asleep. The landfill, which has served as Kampala’s primary waste dump for decades, has long been a source of concern for local residents, who have voiced complaints about hazardous waste polluting the environment and posing significant risks to the community.

Since Wednesday, authorities have recovered nine more bodies, adding to the previously reported 26 fatalities. However, identifying some of the newly retrieved bodies has been a challenge, as they were badly decomposed due to the impact of the landslide.

The incident followed weeks of torrential rain that have wreaked havoc across Uganda, causing widespread flooding and destruction in various parts of the East African country. The heavy rains triggered the collapse of the garbage mound, further highlighting the dangers posed by poorly managed waste sites in urban areas.

Similar incidents have occurred elsewhere in Africa. In 2017, a tragic landslide at a municipal dump in Ethiopia claimed the lives of at least 115 people, underscoring the ongoing risks of inadequate waste management in densely populated regions.