23rd May, 2011
Several homes were swept away by landslide following a torrential rain on Sunday morning.
The landslide which took place in Henshaw Town Road and Hawkins Road caused portions of the banks of the Calabar River to cave in causing water to flood houses in the area and eventually sweeping away some along with household goods.
A resident of the area told PMNEWS that electronic gadgets, certificates and other house items in her home were washed away. “We could not save anything. Thank God that it happened in the morning. If it was in the night, many of us would have been washed into the sea,†the resident said.
The Chairman of Calabar South Local Government Area Hon. Ekeng Nsa Henshaw who visited the area on Monday charged the contractors responsible for the erosion control and embankment work at the place to urgently resume work at the site to stop more portions of the embankment from caving in.
He called on the relevant Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal agency supervising the contractor undertaking embankment work in the area to ensure that the contractor returns to site to prevent any further slide that may claim lives.
His words:“this situation is very unfortunate and it is avoidable if the contractor had carried out his job according to specification. He is supposed to have observed the terrain properly knowing that the area is a water way; an outlet would have been provided for the water. If not, the lives of people living down are in danger. The local government is ready to assist in anyway we can to ensure that the lives of our peoples are protected, but it is very important that the supervising Ministry of Environment should release funds to get the contractor back on site
By Emma Una/ Calabar