Tonga: 57YO Disabled Man Swam For 27 Hours After Being Swept Away By Tsunami Waves
A Tonga man swam for around 27 hours after he was swept away by tsunami waves on Saturday evening. He reached the main island of Tongatapu at about 10 pm on Sunday.
A tsunami caused by Tonga volcanic eruption created a lot of havoc. However, a 57-year-old man is being called a real-life Aquaman after he swam for around 27 hours after getting swept out to sea due to the tsunami.
This Tongan man named Lisala Folau lived on the small, isolated island of Atata which has a population of about 60 people. He was swept out to sea when the waves hit land at about 7 pm on Saturday. Folau said that he was painting his home when his brother alerted him about the tsunami.
Soon, the waves had gone through his lounge. He climbed up a tree to escape but when he got down another big wave swept him away.
A Tongan man says he swam for more than 24 hours after a tsunami swept him out to sea: Lisala Folau told a local broadcaster about his swimming journey, which lasted more than a day and took him to three islands. Social media users hearing his story are¡ https://t.co/Nj3CD3xKYz pic.twitter.com/I4ik58StE1
¡ª Marcus Evans ? ?? ? ?? ? ? ? (@MarcuswevansSr) January 20, 2022
The 57-year-old said he is disabled and cannot walk properly.
"I just floated, bashed around by the big waves that kept coming," he told in an interview to Tongan media agency Broadcom Broadcasting.
Twitter
The man said that he kept floating and managed to swim 7.5 kilometres to the main island of Tongatapu. He reached the shore 27 hours later at about 10 pm on Sunday.
The man got quite famous on social media after what he did. Many called it a miracle and many even called him Aquaman.
Wow, incredible feat. Im sure he was a skilled swimmer and island navigator. God's little miracles.
¡ª Rob Joubert (@RobJoubert1) January 20, 2022
Incredible. God Bless him!?
¡ª Mitch Morales (@MitchMorales9) January 20, 2022
Aqua Man
¡ª Babs??SoHo (@villageofsoho) January 20, 2022
According to news reports, scientists had observed massive explosions, thunder and lightning near the volcano after it started erupting early Friday. The eight-minute eruption was so violent it was heard as "loud thunder sounds" in Fiji, more than 800km (500 miles) away, according to officials in the capital Suva.
Atata, which is about 8 km northwest of Tonga's capital Nuku'alofa, or a 30-minute boat ride, has been almost entirely destroyed in the tsunami that hit the islands on 18 January.
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