KOCHI: M Pradeep Kumar of Thiruvanathapuram keeps looking at his mobile phone waiting for a call from his daughter stranded in Ukraine. The communication goes blank for hours as mobile phones of the stranded students run out of power and the parents have to wait for hours to get back connection with their dear ones.
Volunteers who are coordinating the rescue of the stranded students at border posts in Ukraine have advised parents back home in Kerala not to worry if they couldn’t get in touch with their wards as mobile phones are running dry.
“We are worried if we couldn’t get in touch with her. Communication over the mobile phone is the only means available to ensure that the students are safe,” said Pradeep Kumar. Volunteer groups have advised the students coming to the border posts to limit the use of phones to conserve power in the devices.
“It’s not possible for them to charge the mobile phones while travelling. Even at refugee camps, there are only limited number of charging pods and there is a huge crowd. It takes at least 48 hours for completing the emigration procedure at the border posts,” said Jincy Peter, a volunteer at one of the border posts who is coordinating the repatriation mission. She said the students have been specifically asked to move in groups and ensure that only one of them use the mobile phone at a time for communication.
“Mobile phones are now a lifesaver. We are coordinating all rescue operations through the mobile phones,” she added. Warsaw resident Firoz Chirammel Abdul Kareem, who is also part of the volunteer group, said the students are facing a tough time getting through the emigration process at the check posts.
“Some get injured in the melee. We received two students with injuries. While one suffered fracture in the hand, the other had a fracture in the leg. It’s frenzy out there at the border posts,” he said, adding that there are also mobile jammer at the border posts blocking the communication over mobile phones for hours.