By Patrick Obia
Just six days after a devastating landslide claimed the lives of five people in Ikot Awatim Community, Calabar Municipal Local Government Area of Cross River State, another landslide has claimed the life of an eight-year-old girl.
The latest incident occurred in a community known as “Borrow Pit” along Old Stream Road in Edim Otop on Thursday night, July 16, 2026.
According to residents, the tragedy happened at about 9:PM while the victim and her elder sister were inside the house.
The older girl, believed to be between 10 and 15 years old, escaped, the victim was trapped when the mud house with cement plastering, collapsed under the impact of the landslide. The collapse also uprooted several bamboo plants surrounding the building.
READ: Deadly Landslide Leaves Family Of Four, One Other Dead In Calabar
When CrossRiverWatch visited the scene, an atmosphere of grief hung over the community as sympathizers gathered to console the bereaved family, while some residents were active trying to clear debris from the collapsed structure.
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The house, located on a steep hillside, stood at an elevation comparable to that of a four- to six-storey building, highlighting the vulnerability of homes built in suich area. Though the unfortunate building is not the only structure erected on the hill side in the community.
As of the time of filing this report, the affected family had relocated to a temporary shelter within the community.
A community member told CrossRiverWatch that officials from the Cross River State Government, the Nigerian Red Cross Society, and other relevant agencies had visited the scene to assess the situation.
READ ALSO: Heavy Rain Fall Leaves One-Year-Old Baby Dead In Calabar
The latest tragedy comes less than a week after another landslide in Ikot Awatim claimed the lives of four children of Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley Etim Edu and a man identified as Mr. Udo, believed to be a tanker driver attached to a fuel depot, following days of heavy rainfall.
In a separate incident linked to the persistent flooding, a one-year-old child also lost his life after floodwater broke into their apartment along Mayne Avenue near Goldie in Calabar South Local Government Area.
RELATED: Fear Grips Calabar Residents As Man Is Found Lifeless In Water Channel
The recurring landslides and flooding have heightened concerns over the impact of heavy rainfall in Calabar that has rendered many homeless and valuables worth millions of Naira dest. Residents have called for urgent measures to prevent further loss of lives and destruction of property.
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