Death toll in Kampala landslide rises to 34, rescue operations continue

In Uganda, the death toll from the collapse of a landfill in Kampala has risen to 34, with many residents and homes in the Kiteezi neighborhood buried under a massive pile of waste following heavy rains.

The landslide occurred on Saturday, August 9, and rescue efforts continue, though 35 people remain missing.

The collapse is believed to have been triggered by heavy rainfall.

The Kiteezi landfill is on a steep slope in an impoverished part of the city.

Women and children who scavenge plastic waste for income frequently gather there, and some homes have been built close to the landfill.

Kampala authorities for years have considered closing the site and commissioning a larger area outside the city as a waste disposal site.

It was not clear why the plan has failed to take off since 2016.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni ordered an investigation into the incident