Speeding monster tipper lorries carrying granite stones and sand were a dreaded sight for any pedestrian in Kerala, yet in the large flooded areas of the state, these are the vehicles which people look for transport as well as for bringing the much-needed relief material.
In flood-ravaged Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts these lorries have ferried hundreds of people to safer areas, facilitating distribution of ration and daily-use essential commodities.
A police officer in Vaikom, around 184 km from the state capital, told IANS on Monday that flood-affected people eagerly await these vehicles.
An official of a company that owns 800 tipper lorries said the company has handed over almost half of these heavy vehicles to the district authorities.
"I have slept very little in the past few days... I have driven for hours at a stretch to transport people from waterlogged areas," said a tipper lorry driver.
A lorry owner in Pathanamthitta said a dozen of his vehicles have been put into service for rescue and relief operations.
"Thanks to these lorries, I am glad that I have been able to do my bit for the flood-affected people," said the owner.
--IANS
sg/prs
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