Windstorm Leaves Scores Homeless, Destroys 50 Houses in Gombe Communities
By Abubakar Rabilu
Scores of residents have been rendered homeless after a devastating windstorm accompanied by heavy rainfall destroyed more than 50 houses and damaged critical public facilities in Bundibunde and Bayunse villages of Bule Kaltin Ward, Baule Tula District, Kaltungo Local Government Area of Gombe State.
The storm that swept through communities recently left a trail of destruction, damaging schools, healthcare infrastructure, market facilities, and dozens of households.
A community assessment conducted by a local stakeholder, Shuaibu Usman Arba, revealed that two primary schools were severely damaged, while a health clinic, market stalls, and several sheds were also affected by the disaster.
Arba said many families were displaced after their homes were either destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by the violent windstorm.
According to him, the heavy rainfall and strong winds tore roofs off, collapsed buildings, and destroyed property worth millions of naira.
“The destruction is extensive. Many residents have lost their homes and belongings, and public facilities that serve the communities have also suffered severe damage,” he said.
Following the incident, the district heads of Baule, Tula and Kaltin visited the affected communities to assess the extent of the damage and sympathise with victims.
The traditional rulers described the situation as a humanitarian emergency and appealed for urgent intervention from the government and relevant agencies.
They called on emergency management agencies, humanitarian organisations, political leaders, corporate bodies, philanthropists, and other well-meaning Nigerians to come to the aid of the affected residents, whose lives and livelihoods had been severely impacted by the disaster.
The assessment identified the immediate needs of the victims, which included temporary shelter materials, roofing sheets, food supplies, clothing, household items, and financial support to enable them to rebuild their homes and restore damaged public facilities.
As part of efforts to address environmental challenges that contribute to such disasters, community leaders disclosed plans to collaborate with relevant agencies to plant about 5,000 trees across the affected areas.
When contacted, the Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Abdullahi Haruna Abdullahi, said the agency had yet to receive an official report on the incident.
He told us, however, that the agency would contact the local government mobilisation committee to obtain information about the disaster and conduct the necessary assessments.
“We are not yet aware of the incident, but we will reach out to our local government mobilisation committee for details and take appropriate action,” he said.
The disaster has heightened concerns over the vulnerability of rural communities to extreme weather events, with affected residents calling for urgent relief assistance and long-term measures to strengthen disaster preparedness across the state.
