A farmer who was airlifted to safety by the Sri Lanka Air Force after spending nearly 24 hours clinging to the top of a coconut tree to escape floodwaters has recounted the dramatic rescue.
The man, whose fields were submerged following the overflow of Kala Wewa, had rushed out early Friday after hearing that his cattle were in danger. Wading into the flood, he managed to untie and guide several cows to safety. However, when he returned to rescue the remaining animals, he found them floating, barely alive, struggling to stand.
“I told my son not to come. I’d go alone and bring the animals,” he said. “I couldn’t bear to watch them struggle. I managed to bring them with me to a nearby hut, to safety. But when the water started to rise, I had to make up my mind to let the animals go. Then I climbed the tree,” he said.
With the water rising and the shelter giving way, he took refuge in the tree, tying himself to it with a rope in case strong winds toppled it. The farmer said that he kept watch as one of the animals struggled but managed to save itself.
He hadn’t eaten since the previous night, surviving only by drinking water from a tender coconut he plucked while clinging to the tree.
A rescue boat reached the area by afternoon, but was unable to get close due to strong currents. “They tried three or four times, then said they would come back,” he said.
By nightfall, heavy rain and strong winds made conditions worse. “I was cold and shivering, but I kept faith that someone would come.”
That rescue came, when a Sri Lanka Air Force Bell-212 helicopter airlifted him to safety. (Newswire)