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CR-SEMA Calls for Relocation of Residents From High-Risk Area After Landslide Kills 5
The Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA) has called for the immediate relocation of residents living in high-risk areas following a landslide that killed five people in Ikot Anwatim Community, Calabar Municipality on Friday.
The disaster was triggered by 48 hours of heavy rainfall and destroyed two houses in the community. Four children and one adult died, while two others sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment at a medical facility.
CR-SEMA led a rapid assessment of the affected area over the weekend. The Director General of the agency, Mr. Efa Nyong, conducted the exercise alongside the Disaster Management Unit of the Nigerian Red Cross Society.
During the visit, Nyong expressed sympathy to victims and bereaved families on behalf of the state government.
He described the deaths, particularly those of the children, as heartbreaking and assured families of government support through humanitarian interventions.
The agency recommended urgent relocation of residents in landslide and erosion-prone communities.
“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,” Nyong said.
“This assessment will document the disaster’s impact to guide government decisions on emergency assistance and long-term disaster risk reduction.”
The team also advised immediate humanitarian support, continued medical care for the injured, and a comprehensive geotechnical assessment of the affected terrain. Nyong stated that climate-related disasters are increasing and require collective action, stressing CR-SEMA’s commitment to proactive disaster response and protection of lives across the state.
An affected resident, Mr. Bassey Patrick, thanked the assessment team for its prompt response and appealed for emergency assistance, saying affected families had lost loved ones and were facing enormous challenges coping with the aftermath.
It would be recalled that CR-SEMA, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), had earlier assessed flood-affected communities in Calabar Municipality and Calabar South Local Government Areas.
