One person has reportedly died in a windstorm that caused damage in Wuro Juli, Wuro She, and other suburban areas in the Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Some residents who saw the windstorm expressed sorrow about the effect of the first rain, saying it caused devastation in their areas.
They said the day began as usual, with excitement about the first rainfall of the season. However, what followed the rain that started around 4:30 pm was beyond anyone’s worst fears.
Our reporter learned that the storm caused the death of one child in Ampate area II, while several others were hospitalized due to injuries.
The strong wind had a devastating impact in Ampate area I and II, Maitama, as well as parts of Nayi Nawa, and Bagadaza communities, causing havoc in its path.
Abba, who lost his two-bedroom house and other valuables to a storm in the Ampate area, described the aftermath as complete devastation.
The 46-year-old, father of six, recounted that the heavy wind and rain started while he was teaching his Almajiri students. He immediately closed the session when the roof of the shade they were studying in was blown away.
“After that, I noticed that some parts of the roofing of my house were gone. I then rushed into the compound to see what was happening and that was how the complete roof was blown away, the fence was brought down, as well as other parts of the building. My wife and 4 of my children were given a place to spend the night in a neighbor’s house while me and the two others stayed to watch over our properties that were left in the open,” Abba said.
On his part, the ward head of Wuro Ampate, Isah Adamu, who took officials from the Akko LGA around the area, told our reporter that the incident has left several families homeless in the area.
Adamu said, “I have been going around to determine the number of affected buildings and families, but I have not been able to get the exact number because the destruction is massive; as you can see, the area is big, and there are over 100 houses that are affected.
“We only hope that the government will come and help these families who are mostly in need of shelter and support. You know people are already facing a lot of challenges due to the increasing difficulties, and this destruction has added to the troubles of several families.”
The Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Emergency Management Agency, Haruna Abdullahi, verified the incident.
In a phone interview on Tuesday with our reporter, Abdullahi said he has sent his officers to assess the impact of the destruction.
Abdullahi stated, “I’m not around at the moment, but I have asked our people to find out the situation in Wuro Juli, Wuro She, and others.”
When asked if he was aware of the loss of life, he said, “I’m not aware of that until they go tomorrow (Wednesday) to assess the impact of the windstorm.”
Abdullahi advised residents to stay alert and take necessary precautions as the rainy season continues.
