Barely two weeks since rainstorm destroyed several properties in Jalingo and Wukari, another tragedy occurred late Friday and the early hours of Saturday in Jalingo.
The rains which were accompanied by strong winds has claimed several lives as a result of collapsed electric poles, buildings and telecommunication masts. Also, the Taraba State University, which was hugely affected in the last rainstorm, is once again affected.
As at the time of writing this report, the entire Jalingo city is without electric light, while communication is generally affected perhaps due to damage to masts.
No fewer than five people were feared killed in the early hours of today (Saturday), following a wind storm that accompanied an early morning rain in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
Dr. Dashe Dasogot, Chairman Medical Advisory Committee of the Taraba State Specialist Hospital Jalingo told our correspondent that five corpses were brought to the morgue of the hospital after the rainstorm.
Dashe who conducted our correspondent round the structures and trees in the hospital that were blown off by the rainstorm added that two other persons with various degree of injuries were receiving treatment at the emergency unit of the hospital.
“Four of the dead were from the mast that fall opposite the gate of our hospital here and one other was brought from the town,” he said.
An eyewitness Mrs. Heriata Anthony told our correspondent that three of her cousin sisters, Aisha Useni, Felicia Istifanus and Istiah James were among the four persons that were killed when a telecommunication mast fall on them during the rainstorm.
Mrs. Anthony who operates a restaurant shop opposite the gate of the state Specialist hospital explained that her cousins left the house early for work in the restaurant when the incident happened.“They finished cooking and were already selling food to customers around 6:00am when the rain storm forced the mast behind the restaurant to fall on them. “Three of them including a customer who came to buy food died instantly. Konah Danjuma who was also in the shop sustained shoulder and head injuries,” she said.
Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo, Rev. Fr. John Jerome also told journalists that the Chaplain of St. Thomas Aquinas Chaplaincy, Taraba State University, Jalingo, Rev. Fr. Pontianus Jaffla and seven other parishioners sustained injuries when the temporary shelter serving as church fall on them.According to him, the priest and students of the University were in the morning Mass when the church gave way to a heavy storm that accompanied the early morning rain. “Rev. Fr. Pontianus sustained a head injury and was treated at the Federal Medical Center Jalingo and discharged.“One of the students was also treated and discharged but the remaining six are still receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Center Jalingo,” he said. One more photo below.
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