Following the recent heavy downpour in some parts of Plateau State, the Management Committee Chairman, Pankshin Local Government Area of the State, Mr Stephen Jings has appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to come to the aid of victims of rain storm in Chip and Abwor-Dyis districts in the Council.

The heavy downpour was said to have destroyed many houses, including a parsonage and three schools, as well as some market stalls in Chip and Abwor Dyis districts.

The rain storm, which was part of the early rain that lasted for several hours, left properties worth millions of naira destroyed.

Jings, who spoke through the Council Secretary, Mr John Elisha, yesterday, when he visited the scenes to assess the level of damage done, described the incident as “devastating’’ and “very worrisome. ’’

“With the level of destruction done to residential houses, we are appealing to NEMA and SEMA to come to the aid of our people affected by the storm.

“The Council’s currrent financial disposition is frightening such that this task will be too much for us to contain, hence the need for these authorities (NEMA and SEMA) to come to our aid”, Jings lamented.

While sympathizing with the victims, the Chairman appealed to them to exercise patience as the Council would do all it could to assist them.

However, when contacted, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Alhassan Barde, said that he was yet to be briefed by the Council on the incident.

“We are always ready to render the desired assistance as a government agency but all we need is the formal report of the incident and we shall swing into action, ’’ Barde assured.

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Rainstorm destroys houses, pastorium in Chip and Abwor-Dyis in Plateau