Death toll in Uganda rubbish heap collapse reaches 24 as rescue teams find more victims

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — The death toll from a mountain of rubbish that collapsed in the Ugandan capital rose to 24 on Monday as rescuers with excavators continued searching for victims, according to the city authority.

At least four children are among those killed by the collapse at the Kiteezi landfill Friday, police told reporters.

The collapse is believed to have been triggered by heavy rainfall. The precise details of what happened were unclear, but the city authority said there was a “structural failure in waste mass.”

Irene Nakasiita, a spokeswoman for the Uganda Red Cross, said there was no hope of rescuing more people alive.

It was not clear how many people were unaccounted for. The Kiteezi landfill is a vast rubbish dumpsite in an impoverished hillside area that receives hundreds of garbage trucks daily. The city authority has been aiming to decommission it since declaring it full years ago.

It's also a kind of no-man's land in the city of 3 million, attractive to women and children who scavenge plastic waste they aim to sell. Others have built permanent homes nearby.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni ordered an investigation into the disaster, asking in a series of posts on the social platform X why people were living in close proximity to an unstable heap of garbage.

“Who allowed people to live near such a potentially hazardous and dangerous heap?” Museveni said, adding that effluent from the site is hazardous enough that people should not be living there.

Onlookers watch as workers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed landfill in Kampala, Uganda, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

Onlookers watch as workers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed landfill in Kampala, Uganda, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

Onlookers watch as workers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed landfill in Kampala, Uganda, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

Onlookers watch as workers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed landfill in Kampala, Uganda, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

Onlookers watch as workers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed landfill in Kampala, Uganda, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda )

Onlookers watch as workers search for survivors at the site of a collapsed landfill in Kampala, Uganda, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

Red Cross personnel carry the body of a victim at the site of a collapsed landfill in Kampala, Uganda, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Two All-Americans, one chance to get their team a chance to win a national championship.

And more magic from Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. will carry the Gators to their title shot.

Clayton scored 34 points to outduel Auburn's Johni Broome as the Gators beat the Tigers 79-73 on Saturday night at the Final Four.

And while it wasn't a direct matchup between small and ultra-quick Clayton and the beefy Broome, those two have been the heartbeat of their teams in the NCAA Tournament.

Clayton was virtually unstoppable again, as he scored at least 30 points for the second consecutive game, slicing through the Tigers defense for layups or popping 3-pointers even with defenders in his face.

“The guys trust me to take those shots and sometimes they fall," Clayton said.

Clayton was 11 of 18 from the field, making 5 of 8 3-point attempts. He made all seven free throws.

As the final seconds ticked down, Clayton even chased a loose ball to tip it back to ensure the clock would run out on the victory. When he started to walk back on the court, teammate Alijah Martin was standing watching him with a smile before they hugged with win in hand.

“He has done it all year for us, in big moments,” Florida coach Todd Golden said.

Broome, started well with 12 points in the first half as he used his size and strength to muscle over defenders under the basket.

But while he had insisted that a right elbow injured in the South Region final win over Michigan State was pain-free, he appeared to favor it at times and often looked uncomfortable.

He also looked frustrated by late turnovers and missed free throws as the game started slipping away. Broome scored just three points on just four shots in the second half and finished with 15 points and seven rebounds.

Broome frustration showed late when he lowered his shoulder into Florida's Alex Condon and was called for a foul. He was later denied a dunk, and then missed two free throws with 2:02 to play that would have cut the Gators' lead to 71-70.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.

Auburn's Johni Broome (4) shoots as Florida's Alex Condon (21) defends during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Auburn forward Johni Broome vies for the ball with Florida guard Alijah Martin during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. (1) goes up for a shot as Auburn's Johni Broome defends during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Auburn's Johni Broome (4) and Florida's Alex Condon (21) react after a play during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Auburn guard Chad Baker-Mazara vies for the ball with Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. during the first half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. celebrates after scoring against Auburn during the first half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)