Rain-Triggered Landslide Kills Four Siblings, Tanker Driver In Cross River

A devastating landslide triggered by torrential rainfall has claimed the lives of four siblings and a tanker driver in Ikot Awatin community, Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, leaving a family shattered and renewing concerns over the impact of severe flooding across the state.

The tragedy occurred over the weekend, just three days after floodwaters swept away a one-year-old child and destroyed property worth millions of naira along Mayne Avenue by Atu Street in Calabar South Local Government Area.

The victims were identified as Bright Kingsley Edu, 18; Godswill Kingsley Edu, 12; Daniel Kingsley Edu, 11; and Richard Kingsley Edu, 10, children of Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley Edu. Also killed in the disaster was a tanker driver identified simply as Mr. Udo, who worked at a fuel depot.

Residents said the landslide struck after hours of heavy rainfall caused the earth above the family's home to collapse, burying the building and trapping everyone inside.

Community youths mounted a desperate overnight rescue operation using shovels and their bare hands to dig through the debris. By the time they reached the victims, however, all five had died.

For Mrs. Mercy Kingsley Edu, popularly known as Mama Uwana, Friday had begun like any other day.

She had attended an evening church service with her children before heavy rain began to fall. Concerned about the worsening weather, the children left ahead of her so they could get home before the downpour intensified, while their father, a security officer, was away on official duty.

After arriving home, the children reportedly changed into dry clothes and lay down to rest, unaware that the soaked hillside above their house had become unstable.

Moments later, the landslide swept through the area, burying the family home.

Speaking through tears at the scene of the tragedy, Mrs. Edu said she had lost not only four of her seven children but also everything the family owned.

"Everything was buried in the landslide, taking my children and leaving us hopeless and homeless," she lamented.

"Why me? Four out of seven are gone in one day. My husband never buys anything for himself because he wants his children to go to school. Three boys and a girl, all gone."

Her husband, Mr. Kingsley Edu, was overcome with grief and unable to speak as neighbours, sympathisers and relatives gathered around the family.

The four children were buried shortly after their bodies were recovered, while the remains of Mr. Udo were taken to a morgue.

Residents described the incident as one of the worst natural disasters to hit the community in recent years and appealed to the Cross River State Government, humanitarian organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to support the bereaved family, who lost both their children and their home in a single night.

The Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), led by its Director-General, Efa Nyong, visited the community on Saturday alongside officials of the Disaster Management Unit of the Nigerian Red Cross Society to assess the damage.

The delegation, which included Red Cross Disaster Management Officer Agbor Okim and CR-SEMA's Head of Relief and Rehabilitation, Preye Obo, spent several hours inspecting the affected area, meeting grieving relatives and documenting the extent of the destruction.

Nyong described the deaths of the four children as heartbreaking and conveyed the condolences of the Cross River State Government to the affected families.

He said the assessment would guide immediate humanitarian assistance as well as long-term interventions aimed at reducing the risk of similar disasters.

He also urged residents living in erosion- and landslide-prone communities to remain vigilant, promptly report signs of soil movement or cracks, and cooperate with authorities whenever evacuation becomes necessary.

Speaking on behalf of the affected families, Bassey Patrick thanked emergency officials for their prompt response but appealed for sustained support for survivors struggling to rebuild their lives after the disaster.

The latest incident has intensified concerns over the growing impact of extreme rainfall and flooding in Cross River, with residents calling for stronger environmental management and improved disaster preparedness to prevent further loss of lives.