As rescue and relief operations are conducted by troops in badly-affected Bulathsinhala area, where landslides had reportedly caused extensive damages, Lieutenant General Crisanthe De Silva, Commander of the Army together with several senior officers arrived at Bulathsinhala with the intension of taking a firsthand assessment and meeting the troops at work, supported by 15 BTRs and WMZs troop carriers, 30 Army boats and other machinery.
By Saturday (27) morning under the instructions of the Commander of the Army, a total of 1600 Army personnel belonging to 15 Battalions of 2 Divisions under the Security Force Headquarters - West (SFHQ-West) have been deployed in flood and mudslide affected areas for rescue and relief operations across the island in close coordination with Police, Disaster Management Centre (DMC), District and Divisional Secretariats. Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commander, Security Forces - West together with Brigadier Sumith Atapattu, General Officer Commanding, 58 Division are coordinating all Army emergency services in respective areas.
Meanwhile, on the instructions of the Commander of the Army Director General Army Health Services has dispatched five Army medical teams to worst-affected areas where the displaced are housed in public buildings. Those five medical teams comprised of medical officers, nurses, paramedics and ambulances are also providing necessary medicine to displaced civilians.
During his visit to devastated Bulathsinhala areas, the Commander of the Army exchanged views with rescue and relief troops at work and encouraged them to carry out their duties at this hour of need. According to the latest figures, Army troops had been able to rescue few more than 2,600 flood victims in the past 24 hours. Army was able to distribute more than 3,000 cooked meal packets.