Fear of another flooding tragedy kept many parents and guardians in Awka, the Anambra State capital, and neighbouring communities from sending their children to school on Tuesday following hours of heavy rainfall.

The downpour began around 4am and continued for several hours, raising fresh concerns over the safety of children travelling through flood-prone areas.

The development occurred exactly one week after six-year-old Success Ezenwafor, a pupil of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Primary School, was swept away by floodwaters while on his way to school.

Success was travelling in a bus with about eight other persons when the vehicle became trapped in the flood.

While the other occupants were rescued, the six-year-old was swept away by the raging water. His lifeless body was recovered the following day.

The incident has continued to weigh heavily on residents, with many parents unwilling to take chances when heavy rain returned to Awka and its environs on Tuesday.

Journalist and public affairs commentator, Jude Atupulazi, urged parents to put the safety of their children ahead of school attendance whenever weather conditions become threatening.

Atupulazi recalled that Success was trapped in the flooded bus with two of his siblings and other passengers at about the same time the previous Tuesday before he was eventually swept away.

He urged parents to carefully assess their surroundings and the routes their children would take to school before allowing them to leave home.

He advised parents to keep their children at home whenever the routes appeared unsafe.

A parent who spoke with a correspondent said the death of Success remained fresh in the minds of many families, adding that no parent should be blamed for keeping a child at home in dangerous weather conditions.

Another parent said a missed school day could be recovered, but a child lost to flooding could never be replaced.