The world has been grappling with a series of major disasters in recent hours. In the US state of Nevada, a rapidly growing man-made wildfire has reached the outskirts of the city of Reno, forcing nearly 90,000 people to leave their homes. In parallel, in the capital of Guinea, Conakry, heavy rains caused a huge mountain of waste to slide at the country's largest landfill, burying dozens of homes and took the lives of at least 22 people.
Hell under the sky in Nevada: The fire trap “Hawk“ threatens Reno
The massive forest fire officially named „Hawk“ (Hawk Fire), broke out Saturday in the Humboldt-Toyabe National Forest and quickly grew due to extreme weather conditions - strong winds, high temperatures and record low humidity.
- Evacuation Extent: As of this time, local authorities in Washoe County have issued mandatory immediate evacuation orders for 42,000 residents, and another 45,000 people are on high alert to leave.
- State of emergency: Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency for the affected areas and mobilized the National Guard, which is helping to fight the fire by air and ground.
- Injuries and damage: At least six people, including three firefighters, have been injured. The fire has already destroyed dozens of homes, and more than 13,000 acres (about 53 sq km) have been completely destroyed.
- Cause of the disaster: Investigative authorities confirmed that the element was caused by human activity, but it is still being clarified whether it is arson or negligence.
Parts of the key highway U.S. Route 395 remain closed, and thousands of households are without power. The University of Nevada, Reno and the city's international airport are currently outside the danger zone.
Tragedy in Guinea: Rubbish collapse buries dozens in Conakry
While the US is battling the fire, West Africa has been rocked by a horrific incident involving poor infrastructure and climate anomalies. At around 3:00 a.m. local time, a huge pile of waste at an open dump “Dar es Salaam“ (Dar Es Salam) in the capital of Guinea collapsed onto nearby makeshift structures.
- Victims: The Civil Protection Service confirmed the deaths of at least 22 people. Rescue teams continue to dig with excavators under tons of garbage, fearing that the death toll will rise. The tragedy is immense, with entire families buried while sleeping.
- Cause of the incident: The landslide was triggered by heavy seasonal rains that undermined the stability of the four-story mountain of debris.
- Forewarned disaster: The paradox is that the landfill was supposed to be officially closed on the same day due to danger signals. Despite earlier evacuation orders, many poor locals had nowhere to go and were left in the danger zone.
Guinean Prime Minister Amadou Ouri Ba visited the scene of the tragedy and promised urgent government assistance and permanent relocation for the remaining surviving families.