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Friday, 25 May 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Government has kept over 5,800 military troops prepared in the disaster-hit areas for rescue and relief operations to face an emergency situation with the prevailing widespread floods and landslides caused due to heavy thundershowers.
Sri Lanka Army has over 5,183 soldiers and 182 officers ready to be deployed to flooded and landslide-hit areas while the Sri Lanka Navy has a contingent of 185 navy personals with 11 officers, and the Sri Lanka Air Force is ready with its 251 air force personnel and nine officers.
“They will be deployed in the flooded and landslide-affected areas in the Colombo, Kalutara, Matara, Galle, Puttalam and Ratnapura districts if there is an emergency situation,” Military spokesman Brig. Sumith Atapattu said.
Meanwhile, over 517 soldiers and 25 officers are also directly engaged in rescue and relief operations in flood-hit areas. “They are involved in rescue operations with the Government agents and assistant Government agents in the respective disaster-hit areas. These soldiers also assist the officers of the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) in relief operations,” he told the Daily FT.
The DMC’s latest data states that over 124,733 people of 31,822 families in 19 districts have been affected, and 12 people have died due to floods and landslides. Over 56,472 people of 14,500 families are in temporary shelters. (SS)
The number of deaths from the extreme weather conditions has increased to 13 in addition to eight persons being injured, the Disaster Management Centre said yesterday.
A total of 125,954 people have been affected from 32,136 families.
As many as 43 houses have been completely destroyed, while a further 3225 have been partially damaged.
The DMC said 143 critical infrastructures have been damaged as well.
The Government has thus far set up 251 safety centres where 54,205 persons from 13,832 families are being housed.
A total of 726 military personnel have been deployed for emergency services with an additional 6,264 personnel on standby.
Nineteen districts across the island have been affected so far by the adverse weather.
According to the Meteorological Department the rainy conditions will continue for the next three days in the affected areas.
