By Archibong Jeremiah
The city of Calabar, capital of Cross River state which prides itself as the Nation’s Paradise and tourism haven is of recent is facing huge erosion challenges.
Recently, Ikot Nkebre Community in Calabar 8 Miles which houses two deadly ravines recorded some fatalities. An unidentified man drowned in the raven and two others were also hospitalized according to residents around the area.
“At Nkebre layout, lies a ravine which has eaten over 5 houses on both sides. Two Saturday’s ago while three men were working to build a barricade to prevent it from eating up the last house on the lane before crossing into a major road, it swallowed three of them.
“After the rescue party was able to defeat it, one was already dead and the other two unconscious. One of the unconscious men during the search his head was badly wounded by a shovel while digging the ground for clues says a resident. Currently they are receiving treatment at University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.” An eye witness told CrossRiverWatch.
At another location not far from this ravine, about fifteen minutes walk away is another ravine which has eaten about four houses and is threatening two whose perimeter fencing it has collapsed. Both ravines are constantly fed by water through drainages that are the major evacuation channel.
At Ikot Effanga Mkpa, Calabar there is yet another ravine that has eaten two houses and is encroaching very three more.
Not left out is Etim Ekpo Crescent at Parliamentary Calabar where one house has been swallowed and over seven threatened.
Our reporter observed that in these ravines children are constantly at risk as they occupy most of the houses threatened.