A devastating landfill landslide in Conakry has left 17 Sierra Leoneans dead and dozens more displaced, deepening the anguish of families awaiting news about relatives caught in the disaster.
Yet amid the grief, a measure of relief has emerged: Sierra Leone’s Embassy in Guinea has confirmed that 54 Sierra Leonean nationals survived the catastrophe.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation revealed the updated figures on Friday August 28, 2026 following days of recovery operations and a joint identification exercise involving Sierra Leonean diplomatic officials and Guinean authorities.
The exercise, conducted at designated hospital mortuaries in Conakry, established that 14 men and three women among those killed were Sierra Leonean citizens.
The confirmation marks a major development since the Ministry’s first report on 25 August, when authorities were still working to determine the number and identities of Sierra Leoneans affected by the Dar-es-Salam landfill landslide in Gbessia.
Guinea’s Government has recorded 34 deaths from the disaster. That figure, however, may not represent the final toll, as recovery teams continue searching for victims and officials work to identify bodies and trace people still reported missing.
Attention has now turned to the 54 Sierra Leoneans who escaped with their lives. The group consists of 32 women, 17 men and five minors. The survivors have received emergency supplies, including food, clothing and other basic necessities. Further assessments are being conducted to determine their medical, humanitarian and consular needs.
Sierra Leone’s Embassy in Conakry remains at the centre of the national response, working with Guinean institutions to support survivors, assist grieving families and verify unresolved cases.
The Government of Sierra Leone extended condolences to the families of those who died and expressed sympathy to everyone affected by the tragedy.
“The Government of Sierra Leone extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the Sierra Leonean nationals who lost their lives and to all those affected by this tragic incident,” the Ministry said.
The Government also stood in solidarity with Guinea as the neighbouring country confronted the painful aftermath of the disaster.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry praised Guinean authorities for their cooperation during the recovery, identification and humanitarian operations. It said coordination between the two countries would continue until outstanding cases had been verified and affected families received the necessary information and support.
For relatives awaiting news, uncertainty remains. Authorities have yet to account fully for all individuals reported missing, while the continuing recovery operation means the scale of the disaster may still change.
The Ministry therefore urged members of the public to handle claims about deaths and missing persons responsibly. It warned against circulating unverified figures and advised families to rely on official information from the Government and its diplomatic mission.
Families seeking information about loved ones can contact the Ministry on +232 76 632659 or +232 30 300009.
Behind the official figures are families plunged into mourning, survivors attempting to rebuild their lives and communities waiting for answers. With recovery efforts still underway, Sierra Leone and Guinea now face the difficult task of accounting for every missing person and supporting those left in the shadow of the tragedy.
