Windstorm kills girl, injures 15, destroys over 100 houses

A girl was killed and 15 people were injured by a windstorm that also wrecked property worth millions of naira on the southern bypass of Gombe metropolis in Gombe state.

According to news reports, the windstorm occurred on Monday about 5 p.m. amid Gombe’s first rain of the season, and more than 100 houses were damaged.

The areas impacted by the windstorm are Ampate, Maitama, Nayi Nawa, and Bagadaza, all on the outskirts of Gombe.

Malam Abba Muhammad, a Bagadaza resident, reported that the roof of his two-bedroom flat was blown off and the fence fell, forcing his family of five to relocate to a neighbour’s house.

Malam Isa Adamu, the Ward Head of Wuro Ampate, stated that the tragedy rendered several families homeless and impacted the source of life for several others.

He said, “We have been going around to ascertain the number of affected buildings and families, but we have not been able to get the exact number of the property affected because the destruction is enormous.

“We only hope that the government will support these families, who are mostly seeking shelter and other support. You know people are already going through a lot of challenges due to the growing hardship in the land, and this destruction has added to their troubles.”

Our reporter reported that the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) visited the locations to examine the extent of the damage and provide help to those impacted.

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