Cross River Mother Mourns Four Children Lost in Tragic Calabar Landslide

A mother in the Ikot Anwatim community of Calabar, Cross River State, is grappling with profound grief after losing four of her children when a landslide, triggered by days of torrential rainfall, crushed their home.

Mrs. Mercy Edu, a mother of seven and a foodstuff trader, was away at her shop when the disaster struck at approximately 8:30 p.m. Continuous heavy rainfall had saturated the sloping terrain, causing a structure situated higher on the hill to collapse under the immense pressure of accumulated mud and water. The tumbling building crashed directly onto the Edu family home at the foot of the slope.

Five of her children were inside the house at the time, having returned earlier to change out of clothes soaked by the heavy downpour. Four of them Bright, 18; Godswill, 9; Richard, 7; and the youngest, six-year-old Daniel died instantly beneath the rubble. Neighbors rushed to the scene with torches and digging tools, managing to pull one surviving child from the wreckage. The survivor sustained injuries and was subsequently taken to family care in another state for medical treatment.

The grieving mother described the children as exceptionally bright and industrious, noting that they consistently excelled in their academics. Her eldest daughter, Bright, had completed her secondary education and aspired to become a nurse, while the younger boys were thriving in their primary and junior secondary classes.

In the wake of the tragedy, Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu and state officials visited the family to offer condolences and provided financial assistance to aid them. While expressing appreciation for the government’s intervention, Mrs. Edu emphasized that no amount of compensation could ease the pain of losing four children simultaneously. She is now appealing for safe housing, psychological support, and assistance to rebuild her livelihood, while urging authorities to implement safety measures on the community’s vulnerable hillside terrain to prevent future disasters.