Four Siblings Killed as Landslide Buries Five in Calabar After Torrential Rain

A family in Cross River State has been thrown into unimaginable grief after four siblings and another resident lost their lives in a devastating landslide triggered by torrential rainfall in Calabar.

The tragedy occurred on Friday night, 10 July 2026, in Ikot Awatim Community, Ikot Ansa, within Calabar Municipality Local Government Area, following hours of relentless rainfall that caused severe flooding and widespread destruction across parts of the city.

Rescue efforts continued into Saturday, when emergency responders and residents recovered the bodies of the five victims from beneath the rubble.

The deceased were identified as Bright Kingsley Edu, 18, Godswill Kingsley Edu, 12, Daniel Kingsley Edu, 11, and Richard Kingsley Edu, 10, all children of Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley Etim Edu. Also killed in the disaster was Mr. Udo, believed to be a tanker driver attached to a nearby fuel depot.

Residents said the children’s mother, Mrs. Mercy Kingsley Edu, popularly known as Mama Uwana, had attended a church service with her children before the heavy rain began.

Concerned by the worsening weather, the four siblings reportedly left the church ahead of their mother to return home.

Speaking to CrossRiverWatch at the scene on Saturday, a distraught Mrs. Edu recounted the heartbreaking moments before the tragedy. She said her children arrived home safely, changed into dry clothes and lay down to rest, unaware that danger was looming.

Moments later, the earth behind the house gave way, causing a massive landslide that engulfed the building and buried the children beneath tonnes of mud and debris.

The heartbreaking incident has left the Ikot Awatim community in deep mourning, with residents describing the loss as one of the worst tragedies to hit the area in recent years.

The latest disaster comes as Calabar continues to experience days of heavy rainfall, raising fresh concerns over flooding, soil erosion and the safety of homes built in vulnerable locations. Residents have called on the government to strengthen drainage infrastructure and take urgent measures to prevent similar tragedies as the rainy season intensifies.