By Tony Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has warned parents, guardians and caregivers against allowing children to travel during heavy rainfall, particularly in areas affected by flooding and strong water currents.
The command issued the warning following recent heavy rainfall and flooding in parts of the state, which reportedly resulted in the death of a school pupil.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the command urged parents and guardians to exercise heightened vigilance and take necessary precautions to protect schoolchildren during severe weather conditions.
The police advised parents not to allow children to travel through flooded roads, bridges, drainage channels or waterways, warning that floodwater could conceal open drains, erosion channels, culverts and other potentially fatal hazards.
The command also urged parents to closely supervise schoolchildren before, during and after school hours, especially where their homes or schools are located in flood-prone areas.
According to the police, parents should maintain direct communication with schools and transport providers during severe weather and confirm the safety and location of their children before they begin their journey home.
The command further advised parents to teach children to stay away from floodwater, drainage channels, rivers, culverts and construction sites, and to move immediately to safe and elevated locations whenever flooding begins.
It stressed that safety should take precedence over punctuality, urging parents not to pressure children, school bus operators or other drivers to proceed through flooded or otherwise unsafe routes.
The police also called on motorists, school bus operators and other transporters conveying children to exercise extreme caution during rainfall and discontinue movement whenever road conditions become dangerous.
The command urged members of the public to promptly alert the police or other emergency responders whenever a child or any person is missing, stranded or endangered as a result of flooding.
It said that through its Safe School initiatives and community policing structures, the command was working with schools, communities and other stakeholders to strengthen the safety and protection of children across the state.
“The safety of every child is a collective responsibility,” the statement said, urging parents, schools, communities, transport operators and security agencies to remain vigilant and act promptly whenever severe weather poses a threat to life.
The command added: “If the road is flooded, do not take the risk. Turn back and seek a safer route.”
