Landslide kills 2 in Calabar

From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

Two persons were confirmed dead after a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall hit the Ikot Effanga community in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, in the early hours of yesterday.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the state, Eitokpah Sunday, who confirmed the incident, said the disaster involved the collapse of a refuse dump along Old Odukpani Road.

According to him, the collapsed waste impacted a building constructed within a valley, resulting in the deaths of two occupants, comprising a male and a female.

He added that bodies of the deceased had been recovered. But he said the male was identified as Nfon Ime, while the deceased female victim has not been identified. He stated that they were believed to have been in the building during the collapse, and that the recovered bodies had been deposited at a mortuary.

“Bound by our duty to safeguard lives, the command is currently assessing the circumstances surrounding the incident, while further investigation is ongoing. Members of the public are urged to remain calm and avoid speculation as efforts continue to establish the full facts,” he added.

The incident marked the third landslide recorded in Calabar Municipality within seven weeks, following frequent downpours.

Other affected areas include Ikot Awatim, Boro Pit, and Anansa Road. The downpours, as gathered, have resulted in multiple fatalities and destroyed property worth millions of naira.

Local residents attributed the recurring disasters to poor waste management practices, indiscriminate refuse dumping, and on-going structural development in valleys and natural drainage channels.