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Kano State Emergency Management Agency has revealed that five people died in last week’s rainstorm in Bichi Local Government Area, correcting earlier reports that put the death toll at eight.
The agency’s Executive Secretary, Alhaji Isyaku Kubarachi, revealed this in a telephone interview with Punch on Thursday, saying officials verified the casualties during an assessment visit to the affected community.
“Five persons lost their lives in Bichi as a result of the rainstorm, not eight as erroneously reported by some media outlets,” Kubarachi said.
He explained that the agency’s team assessed the damage caused by the storm before confirming the number of deaths, destroyed houses, and affected properties.
“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 added.
Kubarachi said the agency had submitted its report to the Kano State Government to enable immediate support for victims.
“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,” he said.
The rainstorm, which hit Bichi on July 22, destroyed several houses and properties worth millions of naira.
Meanwhile, the Kano State House of Assembly has urged the state government to urgently provide relief materials to residents affected by the disaster.
The call followed a motion of urgent public importance raised by the lawmaker representing Bichi Constituency, Lawan Shehu, during plenary on Wednesday, presided over by Speaker Jibril Falgore.
