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A rainfall-induced landslide killed four siblings and one adult in Ikot Awatim Community, Ikot Ansa, Calabar Municipality, over the weekend, the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency has confirmed.
“Why me? Four out of seven gone in one day. At least it should have been an accident that claimed their legs, not four children buried in one day,”
That was the cry of Mrs Mercy Kingsley Edu, mother of the deceased children, after a flooding-induced landslide killed four of her children and one adult over the weekend.
The deceased children were identified as Bright, 18, Godswill, 12, Daniel, 11, and Richard, 10. The fifth victim was Mr Udo, believed to be a driver.
“Where will I start? My husband never buys anything for himself because he wants his children to go to school. Three boys and a girl… all gone,” the distraught mother added.
The Cross River State Emergency Management Agency confirmed the deaths during a rapid assessment of the community on Saturday.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Efa Nyong, conveyed the state government’s condolences and called for a comprehensive geotechnical assessment of the affected terrain to determine long-term safety measures.
The incident is one of several disasters recorded in Calabar this week as a result of persistent torrential rainfall, which has claimed lives and destroyed property worth millions of naira.
