On November 16, Murthy got call from the coastal police about how girls were trapped in a college hostel due to waterlogging on OMR
They came, they saw and they rescued!
With the rain Gods unleashing their fury on Chennai over the last ten days, many people in the city were stranded due to rising water levels and needed to be rescued from their homes. And it was Murthy Megavan and his team of surfer boys from the Covelong Point Social Surfing School that came to the rescue!
On November 16, Murthy got call from the coastal police about how girls were trapped in a college hostel due to waterlogging on OMR. He and his surfer boys rushed there with their kayaks and boats and rescued more than 60 people. Talking about this rescue M Murthy says, “As it was running water, it was difficult to paddle through the 2 kms to the road. Some of them were rescued using the kayaks with our boys but others we told them to hold onto ropes and cross the water.”
Covelong Point Social surfer boys transporting boats and kayaks to waterlogged areas to help - Pazhani Rose
Yet again on November 17, Murthy and his boys received an SOS from Hafiz Khan of Tap Chennai Volunteers telling us that they needed a fishing boat to rescue people. “We went to Perumbakkam with one fishing boat and two kayaks and found that it was inundated with water and there were snakes in the water too. The people had been cut off from electricity and food for a few days. We worked from 1 30 pm till 6 pm in the evening and rescue around 300 people,” he says.
One of the rescue boys kayaking to reach trapped individuals - Pazhani Rose
There were eight of them who went along with one girl student of the surfing school, Vadhana.
Murthy says, “It was really good she came as she gave advice to the girls to stay calm during the rescue. One trip took us about 30 minutes ( a 2 kms paddle) and people in the boat or kayak have to stay calm. If they panic and shout, the boat can topple.”
Surfing school boys at the inundated OMR toll booth - Pazhani Rose
Murthy also explains that they have been working with the Coastal ADGP Sailendra Babu over the last few years. They have trained coastal police, homeguard police and their own surfer boys in rescue and life-saving. A week before the torrential rains in the city, ADHP Saliendra Babu had alerted Murthy about the weather conditions and had asked for two kayaks and a rescue boat for the police.
Also Read: The situation in Chennai after the deadly floods
“We feel really proud and happy that we were able to help,” smiles Murthy who did the rescues free of cost. “All my boys are happy too because of the recognition they are getting for their work. It was a good experience for us.”
You can follow the groups activities on their facebook page
(Photos Courtesy: Pazhani Rose)
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