A mast belonging to a telecommunications company on Saturday morning fell and killed three cousins during a rainstorm in Jalingo, Taraba State.

NAN reports that a woman, Mrs Henrietta Anthony, who said the victims were her cousins gave their names as; Aisha Useni, Felicia Istifanus and Istiah James.

Reports said two other persons were also killed, while several others sustained various degrees of injuries during the rainstorm.

The storm 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, said five dead bodies were brought to the morgue after the storm.

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

He said,

“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.”

An eyewitness, Mrs. 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.

She said,

“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.”

The Director of Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo, Rev. Fr. John Jerome, said 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.

He said,

“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.”

It would be recalled that the first rain that fell in Jalingo two weeks ago was also accompanied by a rainstorm which destroyed many properties, especially at the Taraba State University.