Dozens of people are still missing after a massive garbage landslide, which has killed about 115 people in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Close to 150 people were working at the site at the time the landslide occurred.
The Koshe landfill has about 30 makeshift homes of squatters living close to the dumping site where 30,000 tons of garbage is dumped daily. The rescue teams continue searching through the mountain of garbage, and many people are still believed to be trapped by the landslide.
About 500 waste-pickers are estimated to work daily at the 50 year-old Koshe dumpsite. The landfill provides employment for many people in the waste management and recycling industries, while others have made a living through scavenging through the garbage for items they can resell.
The death toll includes children and women, who permanently resides in the area, and can’t afford the expensive rentals in the capital.
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Ethiopia: a booming economy
The government of Ethiopia has been building Africa’s first waste-to-energy plant near the landfill since 2013, which is expected to generate 50 megawatts of electricity upon its completion late 2.
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Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in the Sub-Saharan Africa with several completed huge infrastructural projects including modern railway transport and massive tarmac road networks. The country also serves as the headquarter of the African Union.
