The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Chereponi in the Northern Region Hajia Mary Nakobu has declared a state of mourning following the effects of a disastrous rainstorm that hit the area last Friday night

The rainstorm which started at about 4pm and lasted for some three hours ripped off roofs of over 450 houses in 15 communities rendering dozens homeless and injuring four persons, district National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) officer Amos Jejite told Ultimate News.

School buildings in about three communities have completely been ripped off with some walls razed to the ground. As a result, electricity pylons through which power is supplied to the area were also pulled down plunging the entire district into darkness.

According to the DCE the decision was to “empathize” with victims of the affected communities ravaged by the disaster

Hajia Mary who is completely devastated and heartbroken after an assessment tour described the incident as “sad and worrying”.

The victims she revealed are currently putting up in local churches and mosques especially those around the Wenchiki community which is the worst hit.

“In fact the state of the disaster in this area is so saddening. I cannot even express my worry and I want to declare a state of mourning for us to empathize with those affected. I went with the NADMO office and it’s an eye saw. So far 15 communities have been identified. If you get to the houses you will not like it; others are now sleeping in a small place, others don’t even have a place to sleep so they are in the mosques” Mary lamented

School children in Wenchiki, Karunkuga and Famisa it is gathered have been asked to stay at home and wait for further directives by the District Education Directorate.

The DCE said an emergency meeting will be convened to discuss on how to get a temporal structure for the school children

“We are calling an emergency assembly meeting so that we can discuss and see how we can put our heads together even if we can get two or three classroom roofed so that they can sit in it before Tuesday”

The emotional DCE appealed to philanthropists and NGOs such as RING for immediate aid packages to salvage the victims.