Govt confirms five killed in Kano rainstorm

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The Kano State Emergency Management Agency has confirmed that five people, not eight, died in last week’s rainstorm that ravaged Bichi Local Government Area of the state.

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The Executive Secretary of the agency, Alhaji Isyaku Kubarachi, disclosed this in a telephone interview with The PUNCH on Thursday, clarifying reports on the number of casualties recorded during the disaster.

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“Five persons lost their lives in Bichi as a result of the rainstorm, not eight as erroneously reported by some media outlets,” he said.

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Kubarachi explained that officials of the agency visited the affected community to assess the extent of the damage before confirming the casualty figure.

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“It was during the assessment visit that we were able to ascertain the actual number of casualties, houses and properties destroyed during the incident,” he said.

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He added that the agency had completed its assessment and submitted a comprehensive report to the state government to facilitate immediate intervention for the victims.

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“We have forwarded our report to the state government. As soon as we receive relief materials, it will be distributed to the affected persons as usual,” the executive secretary said.

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The rainstorm, which struck Bichi on July 22, destroyed several houses and other valuable property estimated to be worth millions of naira.

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Meanwhile, the Kano State House of Assembly has called on the state government to urgently provide relief materials to affected residents to cushion the impact of the disaster.

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The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by the member representing Bichi Constituency, Lawan Shehu, during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Jibril Falgore, on Wednesday.

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