A devastating windstorm has claimed the lives of three people and left hundreds of residents homeless in Gashua, the headquarters of Bade Local Government Area in Yobe State.
The storm, accompanied by rainfall, swept through the town on Wednesday evening, lasting about 30 minutes but causing widespread destruction. Hundreds of homes, shops, business premises, electricity poles and telecommunications facilities were damaged, with property worth millions of naira destroyed.
Bade Local Government Chairman, Ibrahim Babagana, described the incident as one of the worst natural disasters to hit the area in decades. He confirmed that three people died, while several others sustained injuries and received treatment at the Gashua Specialist Hospital.
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According to him, the level of destruction has overwhelmed the local government’s response capacity, prompting an appeal to the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency for urgent intervention, including relief materials and temporary shelter for affected residents.
Residents said the powerful winds, rather than the rainfall, caused the extensive damage. Some buildings collapsed, while telecommunications masts were either destroyed or severely damaged.
One resident, Muhammad Isa, blamed the increasing intensity of windstorms on widespread deforestation, noting that the loss of trees has left communities more vulnerable to strong winds.
The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency said emergency response teams had been deployed to assess the impact of the disaster in Bade, Yunusari and Bursari Local Government Areas. Preliminary assessments indicate that hundreds of homes were affected, with many vulnerable families displaced.
Authorities are continuing damage assessments as affected residents await government assistance.
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