At least 347 people have been displaced after mudslides and heavy flooding affected communities across Cross River State.
The Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), Efa Nyong, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Calabar.
According to Nyong, 167 people were rendered homeless by a mudslide in Calabar, while another 180 people were displaced by heavy rainfall in the Central Senatorial District. The affected residents are currently being accommodated at different locations in Calabar and parts of the Central Senatorial District.
The SEMA boss, who assumed office on July 14, said the recent disasters were caused by a combination of natural occurrences and human activities.
He particularly raised concern over indiscriminate dumping of refuse, explaining that waste dumped in one location could eventually block waterways and cause flooding several kilometres away.
Nyong said the agency had visited affected communities in the Southern and Central Senatorial Districts to sensitise residents on disaster prevention and preparedness. He added that the campaign would be extended to the Northern Senatorial District before a statewide advocacy programme involving billboards, radio jingles and town criers.
The SEMA DG also explained that disaster response begins at the local government level through Local Emergency Management Committees, with cases beyond their capacity escalated to SEMA and, where necessary, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
He said the Nigerian Red Cross Society remains one of the agency's major partners in providing temporary accommodation and assistance to displaced residents.
Nyong said the exact monetary value of the damage caused by the disasters was difficult to determine because of fluctuations in the value of the naira.
The latest disclosure comes against the background of earlier flood and landslide incidents in Calabar, where joint assessments by NEMA, CR-SEMA and other emergency agencies documented damage to homes and infrastructure, including a landslide that claimed the life of a nine-year-old child.
As affected families continue to seek shelter and support, the situation has renewed concerns about drainage, waste disposal, disaster preparedness and the safety of residents living in flood- and landslide-prone areas of Cross River.
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