the site to search for survivors, but the ground continued to give way.

“The first section gave way. People tried to come to the rescue, shouting, ‘Is there anyone down there? Is there anyone down there?’ They came running and climbed onto the refuse to see if anyone was there. That was when the second section collapsed in three successive stages, cascading down. And that is what poured onto the people.”

Six people were seriously injured and several nearby homes were destroyed, according to authorities.

A search and rescue operation was launched as emergency teams combed through the enormous piles of waste for survivors.

The Dar Es Salam dump had been due to close on Sunday, with residents in the surrounding area already ordered to leave.

But many people were still living nearby when the landfill collapsed, turning a long-standing waste problem into a deadly disaster.