Nearly 70,000 affected

Armed Forces in rescue mission

The Armed Forces and the police, continued their flood relief operations yesterday focussing attention on relief and relocating operations, after evacuating nearly 70,000 flood-hit people, in nearly week-long operations in the worst floods reported in the country in three decades.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera told the Sunday Observer that they have given up search operations in the landslide-hit Bulathkohupitiya area but were continuing with search operations in Aranayaka as mutilated human remains continued to be found.

“The number of missing persons in Aranayake had risen to 14, although the exact number is yet to be confirmed,” he said.

According to the latest statistics, Army troops in the Colombo suburbs have rescued, evacuated and relocated an estimated 46,210 affected people, using about 56 boats belonging to the Army and civilians.

Similarly, the 14 Division troops with the help of buffels, trucks and armoured tanks of the Army are looking for stranded victims, languishing in risky places such as rooftops, trees and concrete slabs, Brig. Jayaweera said. The Army distributed 60,000 cooked meal packets in Wellampitiya, Kolonnawa, Kaduwela and the immediate suburbs. The meals were cooked at the Kelaniya Independent Transport Depot of the Army and in a few other places on Friday and yesterday morning Army Commander Lieut. Gen. Chrishanthe de Silva, told senior officers engaged in emergency relief operations that they need to be vigilant of possible outbreaks of disease in the aftermath of the floods and stressed the importance of being in constant touch with the medical authorities too.

The Navy also continued relief operations by assisting those who were badly affected.

Naval troops engaged in relief operations rescued over 21,000 people and transfered them to safe locations.

Over 105 Lifesaving Boat Teams were deployed in the areas affected by floods and Naval personnel provided cooked meals and bottled drinking water for over 50,000 people.

Temporary toilet facilities and potable water will be provided to those affected in Peliyagoda.

Naval medical teams comprising Navy Medical officers conducted several clinics to look into the health of these victims, which was vital, a Navy spokesman said.The Air Force also continued with its operations by airlifting dry rations to those marooned in the floods in Biyagama and Kaduwela with their Bell 212 and and Bell 414 helicopters and transporting flood relief items to relief centres.