ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA — At least 46 people were killed when a huge mountain of garbage collapsed in Ethiopia on Saturday. <br /> <br />Ethiopian authorities blamed construction work for a new biogas plant for the deadly landslide at the Koshe garbage dump in Addis Ababa, the Guardian reported. <br /> <br />Bulldozers levelling ground for the plant increased pressure on the landfill, causing it to collapse and engulf the homes of nearby squatters. <br /> <br />Addis Ababa is home to 4 million people. The city produces some 300,000 tons of waste each year and most of it is dumped at the Koshe landfill, according to the Los Angeles Times. <br /> <br />Koshe, which means “dirt” in local slang, was home to about 350 squatters, living in makeshift housing built on the rubbish. Around 500 people scavenge at the 74-acre landfill, sorting through the garbage to try and make a living. <br /> <br />Despite the country’s rapidly growing economy, nearly 20 million Ethiopians still live below the poverty line set by the World Bank.
