The death toll from the garbage landslide in Kampala has climbed to 25, with no further survivors anticipated, according to Lillian Aber, Uganda’s State Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Relief.
The disaster struck on Saturday when a massive garbage mound in the northern district of Kiteezi collapsed, burying people and livestock.
“We recovered 25 bodies by late yesterday evening and have not found any survivors,” Aber told AFP.
She added that hopes of finding more survivors were slim, though it remains unclear how many individuals are still unaccounted for.
The Ugandan Prime Minister’s office confirmed that three children, whose parents are missing, are being sheltered.
Rescue efforts have been hindered by heavy rains as excavators continue to sift through the debris.
President Yoweri Museveni has deployed the army’s special forces to assist in the search.
A 200-meter buffer zone has been established around the collapse site, with residents ordered to evacuate.
The Kiteezi landfill, which has been operational since 1996 and handles nearly 1,500 tonnes of garbage daily from Kampala, has been closed following the disaster.
Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago announced that authorities are seeking alternative dumping sites due to the landfill’s closure.
“Currently, garbage collection trucks are not operational, leading to streets overflowing with waste, which poses a significant health risk,” he said.
The recent heavy rains across Uganda and other parts of East Africa have exacerbated the situation, with mudslides in southern Ethiopia last month claiming approximately 250 lives.
