The disaster in Nomansland, Fagge area of Kano State, Nigeria, has sent shockwaves through the country, leaving three people dead and several others injured. The two-storey building collapsed in the early hours of the morning, while the victims were sleeping, as heavy rains had been pouring down since the previous night.
Rescue teams, who were on the ground, managed to recover one more body from the rubble, bringing the death toll to three. Two people were also injured in the tragic incident.
The Coordinator of the Kano Territorial Office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Dr. Nuraddeen Abdullahi, confirmed the recovery of the additional body and stressed continued efforts to locate the last victim still trapped under the rubble. A search operation is underway, including in the water near the collapsed building, where the last person may have been swept away.
The authorities have called in the Kano State Fire Service to dive and verify the presence of the still missing person. Steps have also been taken to contact the Water Emir (Sarkin Ruwa) to explore the surrounding waters where the victim may be.
This tragedy highlights the challenges of building safety and disaster prevention in the region. Thorough investigations will need to be conducted to determine the causes of the collapse of this building and to put in place measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
In the meantime, our thoughts are with the families of the victims and all those affected by this terrible loss. It is essential that measures are taken to enhance vigilance and security of existing structures to prevent further tragic losses in the future.