17 killed in garbage dump collapse in Mozambique

Heavy rains trigger the partial collapse of a huge mound of garbage in Mozambique’s capital, killing as many as 17 people who are buried by debris.

Authorities believe more bodies could be buried at the Hulene garbage dump on the outskirts of Maputo, and a search is underway. The garbage in the poor, densely populated area where the disaster happened rises to the height of a three-story building, according to the Portuguese news agency Lusa.

Twelve people have died, Lusa reports. Radio Mocambique put the death toll at 17. Half a dozen homes are destroyed and some residents in the area are fleeing, for fear of another collapse.

“The mountains of garbage collapsed on the houses and many families were still inside these residences,” Fatima Belchoir, a national disaster official, tells Lusa. Authorities are trying to help people who lost their homes, she says.

The Hulene garbage dump is the largest such facility in Maputo. People often comb through the garbage, searching for food and items to sell.

Health workers have long raised concerns about the impact of the fumes, flies, and other hazards of the dump on the surrounding community. Municipal officials have previously discussed the closure of the dump.

— AP