A hospital building in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, has collapsed after a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall in the area.
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The affected facility, identified as UNICEM Hospital, reportedly collapsed on Thursday, August 13, following hours of heavy rain that weakened and destabilised the hillside where the hospital was located.
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Videos shared online showed a large section of the hospital giving way as residents watched from a distance. The footage also showed soil and earth sliding towards the hospital before parts of the structure collapsed.
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A Calabar-based pharmacist, Mekzy, who shared one of the videos on X, attributed the incident to a landslide caused by the heavy rainfall.
There was no official confirmation of deaths or injuries as of Friday. Although the collapse reportedly caused panic among residents in the area, emergency authorities had yet to confirm whether anyone was trapped or injured.
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Images and videos from the scene showed a large quantity of earth covering parts of the hospital premises, while sections of the collapsed building were left with concrete debris and exposed reinforcement rods.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the risks posed by heavy rainfall, erosion and landslides in parts of Calabar, particularly in areas where buildings are constructed on or around unstable slopes.
Concerns have also been raised about drainage systems and compliance with building regulations in areas vulnerable to erosion and flooding. The incident could renew calls for proper soil and land assessments before construction is allowed in locations considered prone to landslides.
Experts and residents are expected to push for stronger building controls and better drainage systems to reduce the risk of similar incidents during the rainy season.
As of the time of filing the report, neither the Cross River State Government nor relevant emergency management authorities had released a detailed official statement on the hospital collapse or confirmed the extent of the damage.
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