Windstorm Kills One, Displaces Six Communities

Devastating windstorm, weekend, wrecked havoc in six communities in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State, killing a JSS 3 student of Budda Comprehensive Secondary School, Janet Atsu, and pulling down houses, economic trees and electrical installations following a torrential downpour.
destroyed_house_windstormAbout 3,000 PHCN poles were knocked down, thereby disrupting public power supply to Ntamante, Okundi, Ishiagurube and Kakwagom Iruan communities.The storm which began at about 4 p.m, Saturday, swept away everything on its path. Over 350 houses including two secondary school buildings had their roofs pulled off or the edifice completely pulled down and displaced over 6,010 persons. A communication mast was damaged in the process.

Narrating her ordeal, Mrs Janet Abang, Janet’s aunt, said the deceased, a girl of nine years and herself were returning from the farm located in the Boki forest when the storm started, pulling down trees which they escaped but unfortunately two trees that fell from both side of the path hit them.

Janet was said to have sustained several deep cuts on her head which led to her death.

She said: “We were along the path hurrying home when two trees fell simultaneously from both sides of the road on us. When I recovered minutes later I noticed Janet lying sideways and when I turned her over I discovered two deep cuts on her head. By the time rescue could reach us she had died.

Another victim of the wind storm, Obi Balim Obi (45) said she and her family were in the house when suddenly the roof of the house was lifted about 20 metres high before crashing into a nearby building which had already been uncapped by the storm.

“We thank God that we all survived. It was like a movie” she said.