Anxiety has enveloped residents of Awka, the Anambra State capital, after a flood swept away a school pupil on Tuesday following more than 10 hours of torrential rainfall that started on Monday night across the state.

Besides the school pupil, police in the state, through the State Command’s Safe School Operatives, rescued nine other victims of the flood disaster that rocked the capital.

The Safe School Operatives, in collaboration with locals in Awka, carried out the rescue operation in the densely populated Nibo-Isiagu community road area in Awka South Local Government Area of the state.

The nine rescued victims included seven other schoolchildren and two adults.

As of the time of this report, a search team was still making frantic efforts to locate the missing school pupil.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the State Command, SP Toochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this on Tuesday in a statement to newsmen in Awka.

SP Ikenga said the incident occurred in the early hours of the day when some schoolchildren and adults were caught in the flood while travelling along the affected route.

According to the statement, upon receiving information about the incident, the Safe School Operatives swiftly mobilised to the area and, working in collaboration with members of the community, rescued seven schoolchildren and two adults and moved them to safety.

The command stated that one other child involved in the incident remained unaccounted for.

The command has consequently activated sustained search and rescue operations in the affected area.

“The search operation is being conducted in collaboration with community members and other relevant stakeholders and will continue until the missing child is located and accounted for.”

The statement further said the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, had directed that the search and rescue operation be sustained and expanded.

The commissioner also urged residents of the area, particularly those living or operating around the affected route, to provide the police and other responding agencies with any information that could assist in locating the missing child.

The command also urged parents, guardians, school authorities and motorists to exercise extreme caution around flooded roads, bridges and waterways, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.

“Parents and guardians are also advised to ensure that children do not attempt to cross flooded or otherwise dangerous routes,” the statement added.

The statement said that the Anambra State Police Command remained committed to the protection and safety of schoolchildren and would continue to strengthen collaboration with communities and relevant agencies under the Safe School Initiative to prevent avoidable loss of life during emergencies.

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