Windstorm kills 1, destroys over 200 houses in Zamfara

A devastating windstorm has killed one person and destroyed more than 200 houses in Bela village, Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, leaving hundreds of residents displaced. One of the victims, Malam Barau, described the incident as unprecedented, saying the community had never witnessed such a disaster. According to him, the windstorm began late on Sunday evening and lasted for more than an hour. “The incident is unimaginable. Nobody can adequately describe the extent of the losses caused by the destruction,” he said. Barau explained that about one-third of the village was affected by the storm. “More than 200 houses were destroyed, representing at least one-third of the entire village,” he said. He said the disaster was preceded by heavy rainfall accompanied by hailstones. “The hailstones were so intense that they could have killed anyone caught outdoors. Within minutes, they covered the entire village,” he said. “Shortly afterwards, a powerful windstorm swept in from the western part of the village, uprooting trees and destroying houses. I saw trees being pulled out of the ground as easily as plants uprooted from their stems.” Barau further disclosed that the windstorm killed one child, injured more than 20 people and claimed the lives of several animals. “One boy was killed, more than 20 people sustained injuries, while about seven livestock were also killed,” he said. Another victim, Abdullahi Suleiman Bela, described the incident as a severe test for the community, noting that many of those affected were orphans and newly married couples. “The windstorm approached the village like wildfire. People were terrified. Some victims sustained various degrees of injuries, while others are still in shock from the experience,” Suleiman said. Also speaking, Isaka Haske Bela said the storm affected several parts of the community, including Rugar Kaya, Anguwar Marafa, the main town of Bela, and the palace of the district head of Rugar Kaya Bela. He added that newer settlements, including Sabon Gari Bela and the old cemetery area, suffered extensive damage. “Our people are going through a difficult trial. The homes of many families have been reduced to empty plots of land,” he said. Haske said many victims are currently taking shelter in makeshift structures constructed with guinea corn stalks, while others have crowded into the homes of relatives. “You can find more than 10 families living in a single room. Some may never recover fully from what they have lost,” he lamented. The affected residents appealed to the government and relevant agencies to provide urgent assistance. The member representing Maru/Bungudu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulmalik Zubairu, confirmed the incident in a Facebook post and sympathised with the victims. Efforts to reach the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area, Hon. Nura, for comments were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls at the time of filing this report. The Executive Secretary of the Zamfara State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Ambassador Bala Gusau, directed the agency’s Director of Disaster Management, Hassan Dauran, to respond to the situation. Dauran confirmed that more than 200 houses were affected and said the agency was awaiting the arrival of officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for a joint assessment of the damage. “We have received reports of the destruction of more than 200 houses and have forwarded the information to NEMA. We are expecting their team tomorrow for a joint assessment and evaluation of the affected areas,” Dauran said.