Troops Avert Split in Nilwala River Bund & Go Ahead with Relief Work

Army personnel still continuing their relief services in cyclonic weather-affected areas under the purview of the Security Force Headquarters – West (SFHQ-West) and the Security Force Headquarters – Central (SFHQ-C) on the instructions of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake in the past 72 hours taking timely action, averted a possible split in the Nilwala river bund near Kadduwa, Malimbada area in Matara District, Saturday (2) morning.

3 (V) Gemunu Watch (GW) troops of the 581 Brigade under the 58 Division hurriedly stacked sandbags to cover a patch of about 20 m in length and renovated most vulnerable points in order to prevent its further deterioration.

In Colombo and its suburbs, a large group of Army troops of the 6 Gemunu Watch (GW), 9 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (SLLI), 11 Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (VIR) and 10 (V) Sri Lanka National Guard (SLNG) of the 142 Brigade of the 14 Division under the SFHQ-West, liaised separately with government authorities and supported the clearing of fallen trees, branches, fronds, and other obstacles from the Kelanitissa power station premises, Mattakkuliya, Sugathadasa Stadium complex, Ambatale, Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital compound, Malabe, Hokandara, Mulleriyawa, Dikhenawatta, Mattegoda, Public Library area, Gregory road, Malalasekara Mawatha, Vihara Maha Devi Park, Thunmulla Junction, Pamankada areas and in all other outskirts.

Meanwhile, 7 Sri Lanka Signal Corps (SLSC) troops of the SFHQ-C were compelled to work hard to take away trees and fronds that have fallen on the rails between Ohiya and Diyatalawa railway stations along Colombo-Badulla railway track after bringing the train movement to a standstill.

Another group of more than 25 Army personnel rushed to the Ohiya Udaweriyawatta area, threatened with imminent landslides where a group of civilians, had remained displaced after boulders and earth mounds fell on the main road that leads to the village and made the road accessible to the village.

In the meantime, SFHQ-C troops cleaned and repaired damaged water pumping machines in Ellegama south in Diyatalawa in coordination with Water Board authorities on the same day since the water purification unit remained badly affected.

Meanwhile, troops had to assist the recovery of a dead body, buried in earth mounds that had fallen on the roof of a house in Mendis Hena, Palolpitiya on Friday (1) around 9.00 am. 581 Brigade troops actively contributed to the recovery of the remains after removing heaps of soil.