Army Search And Rescue Teams Work Round The Clock

As devastating floods continue to wreak havoc in the Eastern, North Central, Wanni and Central provinces, more and more Army Search and Rescue teams, deployed in affected areas, are busy providing immediate relief with the coordination of District Secretaries, Navy, Air Force, Police and other relevant authorities.

Those relief teams operating round the clock have so far rescued more than 1500 civilians, either trapped in the deluge or while being drifted down in gushing waters in the eastern province. More than ten boats of the Army have been used for such rescue operations in addition to ten more boats belonging to Navy and Air Force used for the same purpose.

District Secretariats in flood-hit areas have been advised to be directly in contact with respective Army formations for emergency rescue and relief needs. Instructions to this effect have already been given to Commanders at all field formations by the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya.

The worst affected areas in the East include Manampitiya, Maduru Oya, Ranhelagama, Serupitiya, Arunapura, Rukam, Wadumune, Paragaskele, Kossapola, Kallar, Siththaru, Punani, Iluppadachenai, Echalanpattu, Thimbirigasyayawewa, Morawewa, Minneriya, Medirigiriya, Ethabandiwewa, Rotawewa, Palugaswewa, Somawathiya, Muttur, Serunuwara, Mollipotana, Lankapura and several other key townships and villages.

Army troops on Saturday (5) distributed 6500 cooked meal packets and dry rations of more than 7 tonnes among the displaced in Medirigiriya, the latest area to submerge in water. By Saturday (5) afternoon, the Army with the help of other authorities has housed an estimated crowd of 538,012 displaced people in 405 welfare centres in the East covering Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa and Ampara districts.

As effects of the rains are unprecedented, Army troops continue to distribute cooked lunch, dinner and breakfast packets to the displaced in Ampara, Trincomalee and Polonnaruwa areas, along with dry ration packets to families who though affected, are still possible to prepare their meals on their own.

On Saturday (5) 2614 dry ration packets were distributed among the displaced at the Bakmeegama Community Centre at Kuchchuweli. Another stock of 1277 cooked meal packets was given away to the affected in Muttur and Kantale areas.

Army Commandos, responding to the situation at the risk of their own lives, rescued 17 people including a few Buddhist monks while they were returning after delivery of relief items to the monks at Somawathiya sacred area in Polonnaruwa. Similarly, Army Engineer troops on February 1, rushed to the location where a train carrying fuel derailed at Sevanapitiya and assisted railway authorities and others to minimize the damages caused by the said derailment. Troops ensured that those derailed tanks did not catch fire as the tanks were restored. At Sittaru, troops rescued more than 15 people while being drifted in water.

Meanwhile, the Security Forces Headquarters, Wanni has launched a number of relief measures and rescue plans in the 56 Division and Mannar area.  Army troops provided more than 1500 food parcels to the flood-hit families on Saturday (5). Troops also took steps to clear traffic congestion at several submerged locations on the A-9 road on Saturday (5) as the rains were receding. Thampanaikulam and Rasamadu villages in Mannar still remain under water.

Army troops have also rushed to the rescue of civilians in Anuradhapura as water levels were fast on the increase as of Saturday (5) evening. Low-lying areas in Anuradhapura town and suburbs remain heavily flooded and people have been advised to move to alternative shelters until weather conditions improve.