The Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA) has urged residents living in landslide- and erosion-prone communities to relocate from high-risk areas following a landslide that claimed the lives of five people in Ikot Anwatim Community, Calabar Municipality.
The disaster occurred after 48 hours of heavy rainfall triggered a landslide that destroyed two houses. Four children and one adult were killed, while two other residents sustained injuries and are receiving medical treatment.
The Director-General of CR-SEMA, Mr. Efa Nyong, led an emergency assessment of the affected community alongside officials of the Disaster Management Unit of the Nigerian Red Cross Society to evaluate the extent of the damage and identify the immediate needs of victims.
During the visit, Nyong conveyed the condolences of the Cross River State Government to the bereaved families, describing the deaths—particularly those of the four children—as a tragic loss that had deeply saddened the state.
He assured the affected families of the government’s support through humanitarian interventions, explaining that the assessment would provide the information needed to determine the full impact of the disaster and guide both emergency relief efforts and long-term disaster risk reduction measures.
Nyong stressed that residents of communities vulnerable to landslides and erosion must relocate to safer areas to prevent further loss of lives as the rainy season intensifies.
“I also use this opportunity to urge residents in landslide- and erosion-prone communities to report land cracks, remain vigilant and comply with evacuation directives when necessary,” he said.
He added that the assessment would generate critical data to support government decisions on emergency assistance, infrastructure protection and sustainable strategies aimed at reducing the impact of future disasters.
The assessment team recommended the immediate provision of humanitarian relief materials to affected families, sustained medical care for those injured and a comprehensive geotechnical assessment of the affected terrain to determine its stability and identify measures to prevent a recurrence.
Nyong noted that climate-related disasters are becoming increasingly frequent and severe, calling for stronger collaboration among government agencies, communities and humanitarian organisations to improve disaster preparedness and resilience.
He reaffirmed CR-SEMA’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state through proactive risk assessment, early warning systems and timely emergency response.
Speaking on behalf of residents, Mr. Bassey Patrick commended the emergency response team for its prompt intervention and appealed for urgent government assistance, noting that many families had lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods and were struggling to recover from the tragedy.
The latest assessment comes days after CR-SEMA, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), carried out a separate assessment of flood-affected communities in Calabar Municipality and Calabar South Local Government Area as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness and response across Cross River State.
