Windstorm, rain destroy over 400 houses, schools in Zamfara, Plateau, Sokoto

No fewer than 400 houses, schools, health facilities, places of worship and other public infrastructure have been destroyed by devastating windstorms and rainstorms that swept through communities in Zamfara, Sokoto and Plateau states, leaving hundreds of families displaced and several others injured. The disasters, which occurred on Saturday and Sunday following heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds, have triggered fresh concerns over the growing impact of extreme weather conditions across parts of northern Nigeria. Affected residents appealed to federal and state governments and other humanitarian organisations to provide emergency relief materials and support to enable displaced families to rebuild their lives. The worst-hit community was Bela village in Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, where more than 200 houses were destroyed by a violent windstorm that lasted for over an hour on Saturday. One of the victims, Malam Barau, described the incident as the worst disaster the community had ever experienced. He said the storm was accompanied by heavy rainfall and large hailstones that blanketed the village before powerful winds uprooted trees and destroyed houses. “The destruction is unimaginable. More than 200 houses, representing about one-third of the village, were affected. Trees were uprooted as if they were small plants,” he said. Barau disclosed that one child was killed, more than 20 people sustained injuries, and at least seven livestock were also lost during the disaster. Another resident, Abdullahi Suleiman Bela, said many of the victims were widows, orphans and newly married couples who lost virtually everything they owned. He added that several victims were now taking shelter in makeshift structures built with guinea-corn stalks, while others had been forced to crowd into single rooms with multiple families. The storm also affected Rugar Kaya, Anguwar Marafa, Sabon Gari Bela, the old cemetery area and the palace of the district head of Rugar Kaya. The member representing Maru/Bungudu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdulmalik Zubairu, confirmed the incident on his Facebook page and expressed sympathy for the affected victims. The Executive Secretary of the Zamfara State Emergency Management Agency (ZEMA), 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 destroyed by the windstorm and disclosed that officials of the agency were preparing to visit the affected village alongside the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which is expected to arrive for a joint assessment and evaluation of the damage. “Actually, we have received reports of the windstorm that destroyed more than 200 houses, and we have forwarded the information to NEMA. We are awaiting their arrival for a joint assessment of the affected community,” Dauran said. In Sokoto State, a powerful windstorm wreaked havoc across Gada Local Government Area, destroying hundreds of houses and public infrastructure and displacing many residents. A local government official said preliminary assessments showed that more than 100 houses were severely affected in Gada town alone, with many buildings losing their roofs while others suffered partial or complete collapse. The storm, which occurred on Sunday night, also damaged schools, business premises, places of worship and other community assets across several towns and villages within the local government area. Residents also lost food supplies, household property, personal belongings, and sources of livelihood as a result of the disaster. The official noted that the total number of affected households could run into several hundreds as reports continued to emerge from different communities. Member representing Gada-Goronyo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Bashir Gorau, confirmed the incident and called for urgent intervention by government agencies and humanitarian organisations. He urged the Sokoto State Government, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and other stakeholders to respond swiftly to the needs of the victims. Similarly, the Director of Relief and Rehabilitation at the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Mustapha Umar, said officials would soon conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the affected communities. In Plateau State, more than 100 houses were also destroyed and scores of residents displaced after a rainstorm swept through Tom Gangare community in Sopp Ward of Riyom Local Government Area. The storm, which occurred on Sunday following a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds, damaged health facilities, places of worship and other critical infrastructure. A resident, Bot Felix, said property worth millions of naira was destroyed during the incident, while many affected residents were rendered homeless. He said the windstorm uprooted several trees, many of which fell on residential buildings, worsening the destruction across the community. A community stakeholder, Dung Danboyi, described the incident as tragic and appealed for urgent intervention from the government and humanitarian agencies. He said that although no life was lost, the destruction had left many households without shelter and exposed victims to severe hardship. Danboyi called on the Plateau State Government and other relevant agencies to provide immediate relief materials and support for affected residents. Also speaking, the Councillor representing Sopp ward, Gwong Ibrahim, urged relevant authorities to intervene urgently to cushion the impact of the disaster on victims. He stressed the need for emergency relief assistance, noting that many affected families were struggling to secure temporary shelter and other basic necessities. Meanwhile, the Chairman of Riyom Local Government Council, Sati Bature Shuwa, visited the community to assess the extent of the damage and sympathise with the victims. Addressing residents, Shuwa assured them that efforts would be made to facilitate assistance and support for those affected by the disaster. He disclosed that a comprehensive assessment would be conducted to determine the extent of the losses and enable appropriate intervention by government and emergency management agencies.