Hospital collapses after landslide in Calabar

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

The affected structure, identified as UNICEM Hospital, reportedly gave way on Thursday, August 13, after hours of torrential rain destabilised the hillside on which it was built.

Videos circulating on social media showed parts of the hospital collapsing as residents watched from a safe distance. A Calabar-based pharmacist, Mekzy, who shared one of the videos on X, attributed the incident to a landslide caused by the heavy downpour.

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.