Windstorm kills 13, destroys houses in Bauchi

Not fewer than 13 people were raeportedly killed in Bauchi state capital on Saturday, a day after the Sallah festival, as a result of a heavy downpour and windstorm that trailed the celebration.
Blueprint reports that the heavy rainfall commenced at 4pm after the completion of one of the popular horse gallop known as Hawan Daushe which usually takes place at Government House and lasted for two hours thereby destroying buildings, trees, roofs, and electric poles which also hit several persons to death.
Although the exact number of casualties could not be ascertained as at the time of filing in this report, residents claimed that three people were killed in Kandahar quarters, two behind vocational secondary school and one other in Gudum area of the state capital.
A Bauchi citizen and public affairs commentator, Malam Sani Al’amin, said seven people lost their lives around Tirwun area in the metropolis.
While a lecturer with AD Rufai College for Legal and Islamic Studies, Misau Ibrahim Ismail, said he attended the funeral prayers of three persons in Kandahar and two people behind Vocational Secondary School, Bauchi.
The state Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, who went round some of the affected areas to commiserate with victims, directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to assess the damage and assist the victims.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kamal Datti Abubakar, said they have put their men at strategic locations to protect public properties from being looted and to assist other sister agencies in rescue operations.
When contacted for comments on the incident, Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Shehu Ningi, told reporters that they were still collating facts on casualties and property destroyed.
He however said that their preliminary findings indicated that the destruction was enormous, adding that details would be collected before going to public.

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