The landslide occurred in Ikot Anwatim Community, Calabar Municipality, Cross River, after days of intense rainfall.

Landslides are becoming more frequent due to climate change. The Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA) confirmed five casualties during the launch of a rapid assessment of the affected community on Saturday.

'This assessment will document the disaster's impact to guide government decisions on emergency assistance and long-term disaster risk reduction,' CR-SEMA Director-General, Mr Efa Nyong, said.

Efa Nyong stressed that climate-related disasters were becoming more frequent, requiring sustained public awareness and stronger collaboration between government and communities. He described the deaths, especially those of four children, as heartbreaking and assured affected families of government support through humanitarian interventions. The CR-SEMA Director-General urged residents of landslide and erosion-prone communities to promptly report land cracks, remain vigilant, and obey evacuation directives whenever necessary.

CR-SEMA's Director-General also commended the assessment team for responding promptly in spite of the difficult circumstances confronting the devastated community. An affected resident, Mr Bassey Patrick, commended the assessment team for responding promptly in spite of the difficult circumstances confronting the devastated community. Patrick appealed for urgent emergency assistance, saying bereaved and displaced families had lost loved ones and now faced enormous challenges rebuilding their lives.

The assessment team recommended immediate humanitarian assistance for affected families and sustained medical care for injured victims. It also called for a comprehensive geotechnical assessment of the affected terrain to determine long-term safety and appropriate mitigation measures.

Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of landslides and other natural disasters. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has been working to educate the public on the risks associated with landslides and the importance of early warning systems. Yet, despite these efforts, landslides remain a major threat to communities in Cross River State. The government has been criticized for its slow response to landslides in the past, with some communities reporting that they only received assistance after the disaster had occurred.

The recent landslide in Ikot Anwatim Community has left many questions unanswered. The people of Cross River State deserve answers to questions like: what led to the landslide? Who is responsible for the slow response of government agencies? What measures are being taken to prevent similar disasters in the future?

A resident, Mr Bassey Patrick, called for urgent action to prevent the disaster from happening again. 'We need the government to listen to us and take action to prevent such disasters from happening again,' said Patrick.

The government has promised to respond to the disaster with urgency and compassion. But for Mr Bassey Patrick and many others in the affected community, the real test lies in the actions that follow, not the words that are spoken. In the coming days, the people of Cross River State will be watching closely to see if the government lives up to its promises. But for now, they are left to pick up the pieces and try to rebuild their lives.

Key Facts:

  • 5 people including 4 children died
  • 2 houses destroyed
  • 2 injured residents
  • Landslide occurred after 48 hours of heavy rainfall
  • CR-SEMA confirmed casualties during a rapid assessment of the affected community