A tragic landslide triggered by heavy rainfall has reportedly claimed the lives of five persons, including four siblings, in Ikot Awatin community, Calabar Municipality of Cross River State.
The incident occurred over the weekend following torrential rains that weakened the soil structure in the area, causing a sudden collapse that buried a residential building.
The victims were identified as Bright Kingsley Edu (18), Godswill Kingsley Edu (12), Daniel Kingsley Edu (11), and Richard Kingsley Edu (10), all children of Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley Edu. Also killed in the incident was a tanker driver, Mr. Udo, who was said to be at a nearby fuel depot when the landslide occurred.
Eyewitnesses said local youths and residents worked through the night using shovels and bare hands to dig through the rubble in a desperate rescue effort. Sadly, all five victims were recovered lifeless.
The tragedy comes just days after floodwaters reportedly claimed the life of a one-year-old child and destroyed properties worth millions of naira in parts of Calabar South Local Government Area, raising fresh concerns over the impact of persistent rainfall in the state.
Narrating the heartbreaking incident, the bereaved mother, Mrs. Mercy Kingsley Edu, popularly known as Mama Uwana, said her children had returned home early from a church service due to the worsening rain.
According to her, the children changed into dry clothes and went to rest, unaware of the impending danger.
“Everything was buried in the landslide, taking my children and leaving us with nothing,” she said in tears. “Four out of my seven children are gone in one day. Why me?”
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Her husband, Mr. Kingsley Edu, a security officer who was reportedly on duty at the time of the incident, was left devastated upon his return, as sympathisers gathered to console the family.
The incident has thrown the entire community into deep mourning. The four siblings have since been buried, while the remains of the tanker driver were deposited in a morgue.
Residents have called on the Cross River State Government and well-meaning Nigerians to urgently assist the affected family, who not only lost their children but also their home in the disaster.
Officials of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), led by Director-General Efa Nyong, visited the scene alongside members of the Nigerian Red Cross Society to assess the damage.
Nyong described the incident as heartbreaking and extended the government’s condolences to the bereaved families. He assured that necessary humanitarian support would be provided while measures are being considered to prevent future occurrences.
He also advised residents in landslide- and erosion-prone areas to remain vigilant, report early warning signs such as soil cracks, and comply with evacuation directives when necessary.
A community representative, Bassey Patrick, while thanking the response team, appealed for urgent intervention, noting that survivors are struggling to cope with the devastating loss.
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