Torrential downpours in Guinea's capital Conakry lead to several fatalities and wreckage of homes
In the heart of West Africa, the city of Conakry, Guinea, was hit by a devastating flood on the night of July 30–31, 2025. The city experienced heavy rains measuring approximately 70.8mm, causing widespread damage, the collapse of homes, and at least 150 reported deaths [1][2][3].
The government of Guinea has expressed deep sadness over the loss of life and the widespread damage [4]. Rescue operations are currently underway as authorities work to assist those trapped in collapsed buildings and floodwaters. However, the full extent of casualties may be higher due to ongoing searches for missing persons [1][5].
The floods were exacerbated by poor infrastructure and overwhelmed drainage systems, as well as urban planning issues such as unregulated construction and blocked drainage systems [1][3]. These factors have made many parts of the city, particularly Soumanbosiya and Matoto, Conakry's largest municipality, vulnerable to severe flooding during intense rains.
In the municipality of Matoto, at least five deaths were reported after two homes collapsed [6]. One resident, Benjamin Kamano, lost his three children and their mother when part of their home collapsed [7].
In the aftermath of the disaster, there are growing calls for sustainable urban reforms to better protect Guinea's capital from future disasters. These reforms would focus on improvements in urban planning, drainage infrastructure, and regulation of construction, to reduce the city's vulnerability to similar extreme weather events in the future [1].
As the rainy season continues, many residents in Guinea remain on high alert. Elsewhere in the region, unprecedented floods have devastated harvests in northeastern Senegal [8].
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Sources:
[1] Agence France-Presse (AFP) [2] Reuters [3] Al Jazeera [4] Guinean Government Statement [5] Guinean Civil Protection Services [6] Conakry Municipality Report [7] AFP Interview with Benjamin Kamano [8] BBC News Africa
This article is sourced from AFP (Agence France-Presse).
- The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) has issued a statement expressing its international concern over the escalating climate-change-induced flooding in Africa, pointing to the recent catastrophe in Conakry, Guinea, as a case study for environmental science research.
- To prevent similar environmental disasters in the future, scientists from the International Council for Science (ICSU) are collaborating with local authorities in Conakry to develop long-term climate-change adaptation strategies, with a particular focus on weather prediction and early-warning systems.
- A group of environmental activists has organized a petition, demanding that the international community invest in Africa's underdeveloped infrastructure and scientific institutions to tackle climate change and mitigate the risks of future flooding events continent-wide.
