Heavy rain triggers landslide, hospital collapse in Calabar

A hospital building in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, has collapsed following a landslide triggered by hours of heavy rainfall.

The affected facility, identified as UNICEM Hospital, reportedly collapsed on Thursday, August 13, after torrential rain destabilised the hillside where the building was located.

Videos shared on social media showed parts of the hospital structure giving way as residents watched from a safe distance.

A Calabar-based pharmacist, Mekzy, who posted one of the videos on X, said the collapse was caused by a landslide resulting from the heavy downpour.

There were no immediate reports on casualties or the extent of damage caused by the incident.

There was no official confirmation of casualties as of Friday. Although eyewitness accounts indicated that the collapse caused panic in the area, emergency authorities had yet to confirm whether anyone was trapped or injured.

Footage from the scene showed a large mass of earth sliding into the hospital complex before sections of the building collapsed, leaving behind concrete debris and exposed reinforcement rods.

The incident has renewed concerns about Calabar’s vulnerability to landslides, flooding and erosion during the rainy season. The report also noted concerns over development on unstable slopes, inadequate drainage and weak enforcement of building regulations.

The collapse is expected to trigger renewed calls for stricter building controls and proper geotechnical assessments before construction in areas prone to erosion and landslides.

As of the time of filing, neither the Cross River State Government nor emergency management agencies had issued a detailed statement on the incident.

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