(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Hundreds of Army troops on the directions of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake have rushed to island-wide vulnerable areas to provide relief and engage in rescue operations, if necessary in the wake of worsening weather conditions due to heavy rains in the past 48 hours.
By Monday (21) morning, troops of the Security Force Headquarters – West (SFHQ-West) have been mobilized to the areas, like Kegalle, Rathnapura, Galle, Matara, Kaluthara, Morawaka, Kamburupitiya, Neluwa, Thawalama, Pitigala, Palindanuwara and Bulathsinhala after weather reports confirmed about the fast increasing water levels and heavy rainfalls in those areas.
Further, 3 WMZ and several boats have also been deployed to be used in an emergency situation.
Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander of the Army who has been in close touch with the developing inclement weather patterns and emergency relief operations has directed all Army formations across the island to prepare emergency contingencies to meet with any eventualities in close coordination with respective Disaster Management Authorities and Divisional Secretariats.
He has also instructed Director Operations of the Army Headquarters and other relevant Senior Officers to monitor the developments and implement all necessary measures in close cooperation with state agencies and respective local authorities.