Three people have been killed while several others sustained injuries after a powerful windstorm accompanied by rainfall wreaked havoc in Gashua, the headquarters of Bade Local Government Area of Yobe State, on Wednesday evening.
Chronicle NG gathered that the storm, which lasted for about 30 minutes, destroyed hundreds of houses, shops, business premises, telecommunications infrastructure, and electricity poles, leaving many residents homeless and property worth millions of naira damaged.
The Chairman of Bade Local Government Area, Ibrahim Babagana, described the incident as one of the worst disasters the area had witnessed.
“It was a devastating windstorm that started around 5:30 pm on Wednesday and lasted for only 30 minutes. I can confirm to you that three persons have died from the incident, while others are receiving medical attention at the Gashua Specialist Hospital, with a few others discharged,” Babagana said.
He added, “This is one of the worst windstorms I have ever witnessed in my life. We have not experienced such a storm in the last few decades; almost every resident of Gashua has been affected in one way or another. Houses, shops, roofs, telecommunication masts, and electricity poles have been seriously affected.”
The chairman stated that the scale of the destruction had overwhelmed the local government’s capacity to respond, prompting a request for emergency assistance from the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency.
“The scale of the destruction has exceeded the response capacity of both the affected communities and the local government. There is an urgent need for immediate government intervention to provide relief materials and temporary shelter for victims,” he said.
A resident, Muhammad Isa, said the accompanying wind, rather than the rainfall, caused the widespread devastation across the town.
“The rainfall itself was not particularly heavy, but the accompanying windstorm caused unprecedented destruction,” Isa said.
He also disclosed that several houses collapsed while telecommunications infrastructure suffered extensive damage.
“Some telecommunications masts were completely brought down, while others suffered structural damage,” he said.
Isa attributed the increasing intensity of windstorms in the area to widespread deforestation.
“Trees previously served as natural windbreaks, helping to reduce wind speed and regulate the local microclimate. Their removal through farming, land clearing, and urban expansion has left communities more exposed to destructive winds,” he said.
He issued a warning that continued indiscriminate tree felling could result in more frequent and severe disasters.
Several residents considered the incident one of the most severe natural catastrophes to strike Gashua in recent years, claiming that many families lost their houses, businesses, food, and other assets.
Although several residents reported four persons killed in the incident, this number could not be officially verified.
Dr. Akinola Adekunle, the Medical Director of the Specialist Hospital in Gashua, stated that the facility has documented casualties from the disaster.
“Two people lost their lives, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries,” Adekunle said.
He stated that all injured victims had been treated and released from the hospital.
Meanwhile, the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency announced the deployment of emergency response teams to assess the disaster’s impact in Bade, Yunusari, and Bursari Local Government Areas.
The agency said personnel and volunteers from Jakusko, Karasuwa, Geidam, and Nguru Local Government Areas had joined the evaluation exercise.
According to the agency, preliminary investigations reveal that hundreds of homes were damaged, with disadvantaged households making up the majority of those affected.
Gashua, which is located near the Yobe-Kumodugu River, is also prone to seasonal flooding, which exacerbates the difficulties faced by residents affected by the most recent calamity.
