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| Sunday, 6 March 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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A lifeguard, a scuba diver, soldier tsunami survivor... : Dedicating time for a worthy cause
Though he lost much, it has not deterred him. A lifeguard, a scuba diver and a soldier rolled into one, Major Nilupul Wedaarachchi of the Sri Lanka Army has taken up a new role - of helping the tsunami victims rebuild their lives. Helped by tourists who stayed on that fateful day, at his brother's hotel, Ganesh Garden in Tangalle and other foreigners who want to help affected people in the coastline, Wedaarachchi who is on medical leave from his army duty, helps tsunami victims at Medaketiya and Madilla beaches in Tangalle. Wedaarachchi was at Lake House recently, wanting to share his traumatic experience as well as the strength he gained facing the calamities of the tsunami. by Vimukthi Fernando Major Nilupul Wedaarachchi was not a weary soldier, but one with many vocations. However, he was away from the battle front taking a recess at his home town Tangalle, on the day the tsunami waves destroyed the Sri Lankan coastline. It was a knee injury that kept this youthful soldier of the Sri Lanka Army away from active duty recuperating at the Ganesh Garden hotel owned by his brother. Situated in Madilla beach, on a strip of land between the sea and the lagoon, it was a place enjoyed by many foreign and local tourists. "Christmas day was very calm and peaceful. In a way, it was strange too, for in the evening around 5.00 p.m. we sighted two dolphins jumping parallel to the beach. I have never seen dolphins on Tangalle shores before. This was a rare sight and I invited others to take a glimpse of it as well. About 17 tourists residing at the hotel at that time enjoyed the sight," says Wedaarachchi. It was all calm before the storm. For December 26, 2004 was one of the brightest and nicest mornings that Wedaarachchi faced. Though his normal waking hour was 10.00 a.m. hope woke him up at 7.00 a.m. It was the promise of a quick recovery, brought in by a British physiotherapist that gave him an early start, says Wedaarachchi. After an hour of physiotherapy, around 8.30 in the morning both Wedaarachchi and his physiotherapist Pete, were having a hearty breakfast at the terrace, sharing bits and pieces of information from their respective cultures, comparing how Boxing Day was spent in each country, and watching the pair of dolphins. "After breakfast I was walking to the restaurant, just to browse on what's happening there when suddenly our garden was covered with about one foot of water. "That actually is not strange during the rough sea, so I did not take any notice. "However, in a minute or two, the next wave arrived with more force and with water up to my knee, about two to two and a half feet high. I was losing my balance so I grabbed a chair and steadied myself," says Wedaarachchi. For him, the drama had just begun. Steadying himself, he turned to see a wall of water, over the roof of the restaurant, "I was standing just about 10 meters away from the restaurant with my brother close at hand. The water struck us, swept us through the gate, over the road and to the lagoon," Wedaarachchi reminiscences. Though, a lifeguard and scuba diver who had faced many a rough condition in the Southern sea coast, Wedaarachchi was helpless. "I was perplexed. It was so sudden I could not understand what happened. And the force of the water was so great that in a flash, I was thrown into the lagoon and was stuck in the mangroves, underwater, struggling for breath." However, he did not have to fight for breath for long, for the next wave uprooted the mangroves and freed him from their grip. Wedaarachchi hung on to a wooden plank for dear life but soon realised that in the tumultuous waters he was in more danger of getting stuck in the debris, if he hung on to the plank. The water tossed him about and banged his body on coconut palms. As his face touched the palm fronds he realised that he needs to get hold of a tree, any tree that was strong enough to bear the wrath of the water. "Finally, I managed to grip a branch with my fingers. I was holding on to the tree with one hand and floating in the water. Then, slowly I managed to drag my body over to the branch. All my clothes were washed away by that time and I pushed myself on to high branches and was shouting to make others know that I was alive," Wedaarachchi goes on. But, he could not stay there for long, he says. The events had taken its toll of him and he felt faint. That was when his army and lifeguard training came useful. Wedaarachchi hung himself upside down from a high branch to enable his brain to get more blood, and then retched out the unwanted water from his stomach. In the meanwhile, he heard a stranger shouting at him to jump into the water. "But, the water level was high. I did not want to take a risk because of my knee injury. When I told him, he also agreed pointing out the danger of lime pits. He went back to the village, brought a rope and threw one end to me. I tied it on the tree and used it to reach the safety of the dry ground. He saw my injuries and took me in a wheelbarrow to the village. Only then did I find out that I was in a village about two kilometres inland, and not in my village." Wedaarachchi was rushed to hospital and treated for the knee injury, broken ribs and a broken wrist. He was treated at the Military Hospital, Colombo for a month as well. Wedaarachchi's brother, Janath and eight of the 17 tourists lost their lives that day. "The tsunami did not differentiate between the colour of your skin, race, religion, wealth or even age. Nobody looked at these differences during the first two or three days after the tsunami either. So, why are we taking up all these differences now?," he questions. He is distraught at the treatment meted out to his village folk. "Tangalle is a tourist area. We thrived on tourism. Not only the hotel owners, but the average village woman who was able to sell the products from her home garden to the hotel, the man who sold some handicraft to the tourist are all stranded now. People's real needs are not met by the tsunami relief operations. What they need is not the food packets or dry rations that are doled away, but concrete help to start their businesses again. A boat instead of food will be most welcome for many," says Wedaarachchi. With the needs of the people in mind Wedaarachchi had started his help line. "I have to thank so many people who have helped me in rebuilding my life as well as helping others. Specially, Major Kithsiri Walpita, Commanding Officer of the Gemunu Third Commandment. Melanie, Anne Bannar and Andrew Wiseman from Canada, Nick Cook from UK, Bas and Jeanette from Holland, Dr. Anke Helten, Peter and Hike from Germany," he says. |
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