Seven killed, 53 injured as windstorm ravages Jigawa communities

No fewer than seven people have been confirmed dead, while 53 others sustained varying degrees of injuries after a devastating windstorm swept through parts of Jigawa State.

The Executive Secretary of the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Hannafi Yakubu Fagam, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists at his office in the State Secretariat, Dutse.

Fagam said the windstorm affected 5,403 households across 120 communities in 13 local government areas of the state.

The affected local government areas are Dutse, Miga, Gwaram, Birnin Kudu, Ringim, Kiyawa, Babura, Kiri-Kasamma, Buji, Kaugama, Gumel, Gagarawa and Sule Tankarkar.

According to him, Dutse recorded four of the fatalities, while one person each died in Miga, Ringim and Sule Tankarkar local government areas.

He added that the disaster also caused widespread destruction of public infrastructure, including more than 47 primary and secondary schools, three hospitals, two police stations, numerous residential buildings and other valuable property.

Fagam said the Jigawa State Government had approved funds for emergency intervention and the distribution of relief materials to affected residents.

He also appealed to international development partners, national organisations and public-spirited individuals to support the government’s efforts to provide relief and assistance to victims of the disaster.