Sri Lanka Cyclone Ditwah: Pregnant Woman appeals for UK Evacuation of Mother and Friend
Pussellawa, sri Lanka – A British woman is urgently appealing for assistance from the UK government after her mother and friend became stranded in the mountainous Pussellawa region of Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah. The two British nationals, who began a two-week holiday on November 21st, are reportedly running critically low on food, water, and fuel, with roads rendered impassable due too landslides.
Beeching, who is nine months pregnant, stated she has made repeated pleas to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Advancement Office for evacuation assistance, but was told “It isn’t our responsibility” and that “there’s no plan” to facilitate their removal. “This is your job,” she reportedly told a Foreign Office representative. “This could be lives lost if you don’t take some sort of action, genuinely.”
The pair were travelling from Kandy to the south-east when the cyclone struck, having been advised against taking the train. They became stranded in Pussellawa after attempting to return to Kandy following reports of landslides, witnessing a bus fall over a cliff. The area has experienced the highest number of fatalities due to the landslides, which have covered homes.
While indian authorities have evacuated over 330 of its citizens from Sri Lanka,utilizing Chetak helicopters and Indian Air force support for search operations,Beeching reports being unable to reach the UK’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka,Andrew Patrick. She also noted local Sri Lankan tourist police indicated the military had not yet reached the area despite expectations of arrival days prior, with helicopters reportedly focused on body recovery.
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has described the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah as “the largest and most challenging natural disaster in our history.” The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been contacted for comment. The stranded women were scheduled to return to the UK this Wednesday.
