How rainstorm killed my three cousins

 

How rainstorm killed my three cousins early this morning –Taraba woman

A woman, Mrs. Henrietta Anthony, has said that three of her cousins, namely, Aisha Useni, Felicia Istifanus and Istiah James, were killed when a mast belonging to a telecommunications company fell on them during a rainstorm in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, on Saturday morning (today).

No fewer than five people were killed, while many others sustained various degrees of injuries during the windstorm early Saturday morning,

The windstorm also destroyed several houses, offices, schools, police officers’ Mess, worship places among others.

Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the Taraba Specialist Hospital, Dr. Dashe Dasogot, told the News Agency of Nigeria that five dead bodies were brought to the morgue after the rainstorm.

Dasogot, who showed NAN the affected buildings and trees in the hospital, added that two persons with various degrees of injuries were receiving treatment at the emergency unit.

“Four of the victims died when a telecommunications mast fell on them opposite the gate of our hospital here; and one other was brought from the town,” he said.

An eyewitness, Mrs. Henrietta Anthony, told NAN that three of her cousins, namely, Aisha Useni, Felicia Istifanus and Istiah James, were among the four people that were killed when the telecommunications mast fell on them during the rainstorm.

Anthony, who operates a restaurant opposite the gate of the Taraba Specialist Hospital, explained that her cousins left the house early for work in the restaurant when the incident occurred.

“They finished cooking and were ready to sell food to customers around 6:00 am when the rainstorm felled the mast behind the restaurant.

“Three of them, including a customer, and a driver to the Commissioner for Water Resource, Mr Emmanuel Gowon, who came to buy food, died instantly.

“Miss Konah Danjuma, who was also in the shop, sustained shoulder and head injuries,” she said.

The Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo, Rev. Fr. John Jerome, also told NAN that the Chaplain of St. Thomas Aquinas Chaplaincy, Taraba State University, Jalingo, Rev. Fr. Pontianus Jaffla; and seven university students sustained injuries when the temporary shelter serving as church fell on them.

Jerome said that the priest and students of the university were observing the morning Mass when the church collapsed due to a heavy storm that accompanied the early morning rain.

“Rev. Fr. Pontianus sustained a head injury and was treated at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo and was, thereafter, discharged.

“One of the students was also treated and discharged, but the remaining six are still receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo,” he said.

NAN recalls that the first rain in Jalingo two weeks ago was also accompanied by rainstorm and destroyed many property, especially at the Taraba State University.