Off-roading enthusiasts turn saviours for flood-hit

Kottayam: When Sam Kurien and his friends constituted an off-road jeeping club back in 2007, they had never imagined that their passion would once turn a lifesaver for many. KTM Jeepers, a group of15 jeep owners hailing from Kottayam, could rescue hundreds of lives during the massive rains and flood that hit Kerala. They were busy in rescue operations in the remote belts of Chengannur and Thiruvalla where the navy and rescue team found it difficult to reach due to strong undercurrents.

For Sam Kurien, 45, Kerala Floods 2018 offered him 'the most adventurous, most satisfying four days' in his life. “When I posted a Facebook status offering help on August 14, I never imagined that the weather was going to be so worse. I thought that the water level might rise in some areas and people would have to be evacuated from a few isolated flood-affected belts. As soon as I posted my status update, I got a call from my father's cousin who was trapped inside his drowning house. Slowly, I realised that the state was going through the worst time in its history and the promise I made had a greater significance. I called all the other KTM Jeepers and prepared a strategy to carry out the rescue mission,” Sam told Onmanorama.

The 15 jeep riders, who occasionally participate in risky rainforest rides and off-road jeep competitions, ventured out with their sports utility vehicles loaded with airboats, goggles and other rescue equipment, to help stranded flood victims get ashore. One of them was dedicated to attending phone calls and rescue requests. They tagged in locals, volunteers and fishermen to get better access to flood-affected areas.

Sujith, a management personnel, recounted his experience of rescuing a disabled senior citizen who refused to board rescue boats and ended up getting trapped in a river isle. "We got a message that a family is trapped in a tile-roofed house on a riverbank at Thiruvalla. The currents were so strong that the house was on the verge of collapsing. When went on a15-km water ride in our jeep and by the time we reached the location, there was water covering our vehicle's bonnet. The house stood on an isle. I could feel the vehicle going out of control due to the strong water currents. Somehow, we managed to rescue the gentleman and his family from their house which collapsed within minutes," he said.

Girish Mathai, an entrepreneur, had never taken his passion for jeeping a serious affair until he risked his life to save stranded school children from getting washed away in floods. "Floods opened by eyes. I realise that the real destiny of KTM Jeepers weren't to win tournaments but save lives in crisis situations. The moment I saved about 10 school students and rushed back to the town holding breath, I found a new dimension to my decade-old passion," he said.

Girish rescued a 90-year-old asthmatic patient who had already spent two days in floodwater. After admitting her to the Thiruvalla Government Hospital, he discovered that she was washed away while making arrangements for the funeral of her husband, whose mortal remains were kept in the mortuary of the same hospital.

Kurien revealed that they used social media to the hilt carry out rescue activities. "We made the best use of WhatsApp and Facebook to rescue people. Most phone calls we received were from the kin of those who were trapped inside houses. The public helpline numbers were not functioning at that time and people were desperately searching for alternative contacts. A lady residing in the Middle East called me several times pleading to rescue her aged father who lived alone in a water-front villa at Chengannur. Though we couldn't reach out to that place, I managed to get him airlifted by informing the air force. I don't think any of these would have been possible without social media," Sam said.

KTM Jeepers, a club of 15 sports enthusiasts, is now planning to take up social projects even as they pursue their passion for off-roading and shallow water driving. "We wouldn't hesitate to spearhead rescue operations in future as we have now realised our potential in the field," they remarked.