A set of eight young vehicle owners have re-purposed their off-roaders for rescue work in flood-hit Thiruvananthapuram.
The “Jeepers”, as they prefer to call themselves, have joined the public effort to rescue residents marooned on houses in inundated neighbourhoods.
One of the group members, Ramesh Pillai, said they were working alongside the District Administration, Thiruvananthapuram.
“Currently, six of our vehicles are engaged in ferrying people from inundated Shangumugham locality to a relief camp at the Chalai Boys High School”. The sub-collector had tasked us with the rescue operation”, he said.
Abraham Joshua Sumanam, another off-roading enthusiast, said the group had also attended calls to tow away submerged vehicles to clear roads for rescue workers and emergency services.
The over-sized tyres and high ground clearance of their vehicles help the “jeepers” better navigate flooded roads and skim over submerged obstacles.
The group members had congregated at a central point in the city early on Wednesday to respond to distress calls from the district administration.
They were also on the standby when the Ockhi cyclone hit Kerala. The good Samaritans said they would maintain their vigil till the rains abate and the flood waters recede.
The “jeepers” can be contacted to carry out rescue operations in the city such as evacuation of people, recovery of water-logged vehicles, delivery of food or consumables to flood affected homes among others.
Contact details: Abraham - +919745420055, Anu Sankar - +919846419222, Ramesh Pillai - +919895570810, Kichu - +919895303486
