350,000 flood victims taken care of:

Army provides relief

Sri Lanka Army troops have rescued more than 450 civilians, marooned or trapped in Polonnaruwa, Gravel Kanda, Pallakkadu, Thoppigala, Ampara, Vellaweli areas in the east and elsewhere with the use of Army boats and equipment.

On the directive of the Commander of the Army Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya, General Officers Commanding in affected areas are implementing various relief measures evaluating developments in the worst-hit-areas according to a statement released by the army media.

Army troops, averting a major catastrophe were able to prevent the breach of several lake bunds in Kondawattuwana, Ampara, Nawagiriaru, Giritale, Pimburuttewa, Eruwewa tanks and a few more in other areas using sand bags in the past two days.

Troops in coordination with all other government agencies are busy providing temporary alternative shelters, cooked meals, dry rations, medicine, clothes and other essentials in the East, North Central Province and elsewhere to those affected civilians, according to latest reports.

The Army as at present is taking care of over 350,000 displaced people in the East, belonging to some 90,144 families with the support of other agencies.Troops also moved fast and cleared fallen trees, boulders, lamp posts and other obstacles that have stalled vehicle movements on Panichchankerni, Vakarai, Kurukkankemi, Himaduwa and a few other places in the past 48 hours and restored normalcy.

By Wednesday last week Army troops distributed 7000 kgs of dry rations among the displaced and worst affected in Vakaneri. Another stock of 6000 kgs of essentials was also distributed in Vellaweli area with the support of the Police and government officials. Troops are also providing cooked meals and medicine to thousands of flood affected people, sheltered in Suduwella, Trakkamam and Nawagiriaru areas in Ampara, Batticaloa areas.

Army medical personnel have taken steps to conduct mobile medical units in almost all affected areas in the east as of Wednesday morning.

Elsewhere in Kandy in the Central Province troops salvaged ten civilians buried underground after six houses were reduced to rubble following torrential rains. Similarly, troops in Kandy cleared many major roads of fallen trees, boulders and other obstacles after landslides.