Landslide K!lls Four Siblings, Tanker Driver in Cross River Community
Landslide Kills Four Siblings, Tanker Driver in Cross River Community
A devastating landslide triggered by heavy rainfall has claimed the lives of four siblings and a tanker driver in Ikot Awatin community, Calabar Municipality, Cross River State.
The tragedy occurred over the weekend, just days after floodwaters swept away a one-year-old child and destroyed properties worth millions of naira in Calabar South Local Government Area.
The victims, identified as Bright Kingsley Edu (18), Godswill Kingsley Edu (12), Daniel Kingsley Edu (11), and Richard Kingsley Edu (10), were reportedly inside their family home when the rain-soaked hillside collapsed, burying the building. A tanker driver, identified simply as Mr. Udo, also lost his life in the disaster.
Community youths worked throughout the night using shovels and their bare hands to recover the victims, but all five were found dead beneath the debris.
The children’s mother, Mrs. Mercy Kingsley Edu, said the family had attended an evening church service before the children returned home ahead of her to escape the rain. After changing into dry clothes and resting, the landslide struck, destroying the house and trapping them inside.
Overcome with grief, Mrs. Edu said the disaster claimed four of her seven children and left the family homeless after all their belongings were buried under the rubble.
The children’s father, Mr. Kingsley Edu, a security officer who was away on official duty when the incident occurred, was left devastated by the loss.
The four siblings have since been laid to rest, while the remains of Mr. Udo were deposited in a morgue.
Officials of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), alongside the Nigerian Red Cross Society, visited the affected community to assess the damage and sympathise with the bereaved families.
CR-SEMA Director-General, Efa Nyong, described the incident as heartbreaking and assured residents that the state government would work with relevant stakeholders to provide humanitarian assistance. He also urged people living in erosion and landslide-prone communities to remain vigilant and heed evacuation warnings whenever necessary.
Community leaders have appealed to the government and well-meaning Nigerians to support the affected family and other victims of the disaster.
