Over 100 homes and properties worth millions of naira were Wednesday destroyed by rainstorm in some communities in Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The rainstorm, which started on Tuesday night, lasted till the early hours of Wednesday, and was accompanied by heavy windstorm that blew off rooftops of several houses and rendered many families homeless and stranded.
Titus Bitrus from one of the affected communities placed the figure of the destroyed houses at over 100, saying that properties destroyed included shops and worship centres, adding that in Amper town, a private secondary school was also brought down by the wind.
He said that the destruction left several people homeless with some now squatting with relatives in the communities.
“This recent downpour has caused devastating effect on dwellers as the storm has removed roofs of many buildings.
“The havoc caused by the rainstorm needs urgent attention from the Plateau State Government as well as spirited individuals and organisations in order to ensure that victims return to their various homes as early as possible,” he said.
Also narrating his ordeal at the side of the ravaged St. Monica’s Catholic Church Kopgin, a clergy, Bitrus Koprang’ah, said that the situation is quite shocking and traumatic but thanked God that no life was lost.
Koprang’ah, who lamented that the church will now have to hold its service under the trees, added that: “Most of the electricity poles linking Koprang’ah to other communities have been destroyed.”
The Executive Chairman of the council, Nde Emmanuel Lar, confirmed the development, describing it as very unfortunate.
Lar, who led top management team of the council to sympathise with the communities, encouraged them to trust God. He described the situation as devastating, as several affected persons now squat with friends in the community.
He called on the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and spirited individuals to come to the aide of the people. Thisday