A 12-year-old girl has died, several others injured, and more than 40 houses have been destroyed following a violent rainstorm that swept through parts of the Yendi Municipality in the Northern Region.
The storm, which struck in the early hours of Wednesday, July 22, displaced dozens of families, forcing many residents to seek temporary shelter with relatives and friends.
Household belongings, farm produce, and other valuables were also destroyed, leaving affected residents appealing to the government, benevolent individuals, and philanthropic organisations for urgent assistance.
A visit to Meindogu, one of the hardest-hit communities in Yendi, revealed widespread destruction, with residents describing the aftermath as devastating.
The deceased, identified only as Asana, was killed after a room collapsed on her during the storm.
Her mother, Awabu Abukari, recounted the heartbreaking incident, saying the family was asleep when strong winds ripped off the roof of their house before the walls eventually gave way.
She explained that the family was unable to escape as the building collapsed, resulting in the tragic death of her daughter.
“The rains started in the night. I was inside with the children. All of a sudden, the roof caved in, and the room fell. The wall fell on my little girl, Asana, and she died. I’ve lost my child. The whole day we’ve not eaten because we are grieving. Now we have no place to stay. We are appealing for support,” she said.
Another victim, Abukari Abu, sustained neck injuries when his house collapsed while he was attempting to rescue his children.
“When the rain started, the storm took off the roof of our house. I was trying to rescue the children. Suddenly, the rooms collapsed and fell on me and the children. We have nowhere to live now. We are appealing for urgent support,” he said.
The Assembly Member for the area described the destruction as devastating and called for immediate support for the affected families.
Officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), who visited the community to assess the damage, said the destruction was extensive.
They appealed to relatives and members of the public to provide temporary accommodation for displaced residents while assessments are completed and relief efforts continue.
The storm destroyed homes, household property, and farm produce, leaving many families struggling to recover and rebuild their lives.
