THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The recent flood calamity that struck the state left people stranded. They were confused, scared and helpless. Some people could not comprehend the risk involved and were reluctant to move away from their possessions. During this time, Goa-based private security agency Thunder Force with their personnel stepped in to rescue people and evacuate them to safe camps.
A group of about 6,500 security personnel joined together to help the flood-affected people. They participated in the search and rescue and evacuated people to relief camps. There were times they faced difficulties while evacuating as people were reluctant to leave their homes. “Our rescuers employed all the tactics in their arsenal to ensure the safe evacuation of such people before the water swallowed their houses,” said Lt Col Anilkumar B Nair, chairman of Thunder Force.
Apart from this, the Thunder Force team also helped with taking relief materials to camps. Their work did not stop with this. As the water levels receded, massive quantities of mud and slush were filled in houses and these had to be cleared before the places were made suitable for stay. Their team in Goa, Maharashtra, Delhi and Chennai collected funds for relief, donating a day’s salary to the cause.
The funds collected were more than Rs 2 crore and relief materials worth the amount were sent to places such as Ernakulam, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta. The relief materials also included kitchen provisions, bucket, sanitary and hygiene products, cots, soaps and children and women’s clothing. Thunder Force also joined with the administrative machinery in other districts thereby eliminating possible wastage and a shortage of relief materials.