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It has now been established that the terrible rainstorm that hit the Tamale Metropolis and its environs last Thursday has claimed the lives of four persons at various locations within the suburbs. The bodies of two of those taken away by flood waters have been recovered and taken to the Tamale Teaching Hospital morgue for autopsy. The whereabouts of a number of school kids, according to some parents, were unknown as they were believed to have been swept away by flood waters. The rainstorm caused damage running into several millions of Ghana cedis. An estimated 700 houses got destroyed including government bungalows and private houses, rendering close to 10,000 persons homeless. Speaking to the Northern Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Alhaji Silimboma, he told DAILY GUIDE that the disaster had displaced a considerable number of persons within the city and its surrounding communities. Ten schools, comprising eight primary schools, a junior high school and a senior high school, were also hit by the rainstorm. The University of Education Winneba, Tamale Campus, was also not spared during the rainstorm. Alhaji Silimboma disclosed that his men were still on the ground assessing the extent of damage caused to life and property, adding that the final figures would be sent to the NADMO head office in Accra for urgent relief support for the victims. He noted that any individual or organization that wanted to donate items could take them to the NADMO office and they would be given to the victims. The Minister of Roads and Highways, Joe Gidisu, in the company of the Northern Regional Minister, Moses Bukari Mabengba, visited the various suburbs to sympathize with victims. According to them, the visit was to enable them to assess the extent of damage caused to properties and communicate it to Government for some form of assistance. Mr. Gidisu expressed his condolences to the bereaved families, promising that government was not going to abandon them in their time of grief. It would be recalled that the entire Tamale metropolis was hit by a disaster following a rainstorm that hit the area early Thursday morning, causing havoc to several lives and properties of some residents. Over 700 private homes were destroyed as a result of the heavy storm. The worse affected areas included Sakasaka, Moshie Zongo, Wurishie, Lamashegu and Jisonaayili. High tension electric poles were also destroyed, plunging the entire city into total darkness, with fears that the situation could worsen if reports of more rains in the coming days were anything to go by. Meteorologists disclosed that the quantity of rainfall recorded on that day was less than 10millimeters despite the havoc caused. This is the first major disaster experienced in the region since this year�s rainy season started.