Fishermen say navy and coastguard personnel were afraid to launch a rescue mission

JP Nishantha, a fisherman in Mirissa who has managed to swim through the tropical waves to safety, told BBC Sandeshaya that many lives could have been saved if the authorities sent rescue helicopters.

"Even the navy and the coastguard that arrived in the scene were afraid of the strong currents," he said.

"Some fishermen have been swimming against the strong currents for 4-5 hours. If the navy or air force sent a helicopter, many lives could have been saved," JP Nishantha told the BBC Sinhala service.

The storms have left 19 people dead and 43, mostly fishermen, missing.

Compensation 'not enough'

From 25 fishermen went missing from Mirissa after the storm, 14 bodies were already found.

Some fishermen have been swimming against the strong currents for 4-5 hours. If the navy or air force sent a helicopter, many lives could have been saved   A fisherman in Mirissa who survived the storm

Eleven fishermen are still missing from the area, he said.

"We saw people were struggling in the sea but our boats were not strong enough for a rescue mission," said JP Nishantha.

Sri Lanka's navy later said it had deployed three vessels searching at sea for missing people.

The deaths and missing people from sudden gales and rainstorms have been mostly in the southern district of Matara.

But the bad weather has hit central and western areas as well, and some were killed while trying to cross swollen rivers. About 5,000 homes have been damaged.

Fisherman Nishantha added that the government has offered up to about 15,000 rupees per person as compensation for the families of the killed fishermen.

"Even a coffin would cost about 20,000 rupees. And there are other families who haven't even seen the dead bodies of their loved ones," he added.