Heavy Windstorm Hits Taraba State NYSC Camp, Leaves 33 Corpers Hospitalized

Heavy Windstorm Hits Taraba State NYSC Camp, Leaves 33 Corpers Hospitalized

A
heavy windstorm has wreaked havoc at the orientation camp of the
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Taraba State leaving a total of
33 Batch A 2019 corps members hospitalised after the incident which
destroyed buildings and other valuables on Saturday at the camp in
Sibre, on the outskirt of Jalingo, the state capital.  

The heavy windstorm which started in the evening caught up with the
corps members who were out celebrating a cultural festival in
preparation for their passing out parade billed for Tuesday, having
completed their three weeks orientation course. The disaster also left
the screen of the corps ambulance shattered, blew off several roofing
sheets of both male and female dormitory, and left them at the mercy of
rain.

The Taraba State NYSC Coordinator, Florence Yaakugh, confirmed the incident to Channels Television but said no life was lost.  

She said, “We were all here as camp officials and corps members
having the cultural festival on Saturday when the windstorm all of a
sudden started. The storm was so strong that visibility was so poor for
both the corps members who were on parade and the camp officials.

While scampering for safety because of the fierceness of the storm,
some corps members who had some health challenges like asthma, chest
congestion, and the likes were choked and hospitalised. About 33 of them
were moved to the clinic of the camp, of which nine were referred to
the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo because of their condition.”  

Florence, however, disclosed that the 24 corps members admitted in
the camp’s clinic had been discharged and five of those taken to FMC
Jalingo had been discharged. He lamented that the level of destruction
of valuables at the camp was much and raised a concern about the
devastating effect of erosion caused and the looming danger, noting that
the raining season was fast approaching.  

The coordinator said the state government had sent some officials to
take inventory of the damages caused and promised to commence repair
works soon.