‘Absolutely Amazing': Tongan Caught By Tsunami Kept Afloat For 24 Hours

A man who was washed away in the Tongan tsunami has told how he survived by drifting and swimming between islands over a period of more than 24 hours.

- Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson

Lisala Folau , a retired carpenter, who is disabled and struggles to walk, was thrown into the swirling tide by the giant waves which washed over his home on the island of Atata.

As night fell, he lost his bearings but managed to stay afloat. At one point he heard the cries of his young son, who was still on land, but resisted the urge to answer his calls, fearing the boy would jump into the water in attempt to save him and risk his own life in doing so.

The survival story has become one of the first to emerge from the island nation, five days after the disaster cut offcommunications between it and the rest of the world.

Folau told Tongan radio station Broadcom FM that he floated from Atata via two other uninhabited islands to reach the main island of Tongatapu, a distance of about 13 km.

A transcript of his interview yesterday was translated and shared by the radio station and posted on Facebook.

Folau said he had been painting his home on Saturday when he was alerted about the tsunami.

“My elder brother and a nephew came to my assistance, this time the wave has gone through our lounge, we moved to another part of the house when a bigger wave, this wave I would estimate was about not less than six metres, [arrived] .”

“Bear in mind that I am disabled. I can’t walk properly, both my legs are not working properly … and when I can, I believe a baby can walk faster than I,” he added.