RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service

Situation Update No. 1

Posted:2010-03-22, 16:49:13 [UTC]

Ref.no.: BH-20100322-25410-NER

Situation Update No. 1
On 2010-03-22 at 17:36:10 [UTC]

Event: Biological Hazard
Location: Niger State of Tahoua Dake-Garka village

Number of Injured: 40 person(s)

Angry bees have put more than 40 people in hospital today after attacking a village in south-western Niger. The bees swarmed into Dake-Garka after a gust of wind broke the tree branch that had held their nest for more than half a century, killing animals and sending panic-stricken people fleeing into the bush, private radio station Anfani reported. More than 40 badly-stung villagers, including 14 children, were admitted to emergency wards of the regional hospital in Birni-N'Konni, it said. A horse and a donkey died of stings, while 95 goats and sheep were left paralyzed. Hours after the invasion, many residents were still afraid to return to their bee-besieged homes, village head Chaibou Abdoulkarim told Anfani.