By Shanika Sriyananda

Troops are using an Unmanned Ariel Vehicle (UAV) to detect survivors and identify flood affected areas, the Defence Ministry said yesterday as the tri-forces continue relief and rescue operations in flood and landslide hit areas.

Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi said that following instructions of President Maithripala Sirisena, a sufficient number of rescue teams from the tri-forces have been deployed in the affected areas. 

They are also preparing meals to distribute among the people that have moved to welfare camps in 21 districts. .

“The Navy has deployed 80 boats and 68 rescue teams. Additionally, the Fisheries Ministry has also provided some boats to continue rescue operations,” he told the Daily FT.

Army spokesman Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera said over 1,300 troops were deployed in the rescue mission. “Over 700 are engaged in rescuing people in the flood hit areas in the Western Province. More than 300 troops including Commandos are in Aranayake digging through heavy piles of mud and debris,” he said.

It is reported that heavy rains still prevail in Aranayake, where three villages- Siripura, Pallebage and Elagipitya- were buried under mudslides.

 “Over 144 people are still missing in Aranayake but troops will continue search operations,” he said adding that additional troops would be deployed when required.

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), which had several reconnaissance missions to identify the flood hit areas along the Kelani River, had distributed water bottles, breakfast and lunch, on Thursday, among the people, who were on the roof tops of their houses.

“Airmen are engaged in deadly rescue operations as the helicopters have to land through live power lines. Using ropes, we rescue people but some people, who have hopes of flood waters receding soon, remained in their houses despite our warnings,” SLAF spokesman, Group Captain Chandima Alwis said.

However, until the disaster situation is over the helicopters will remain on standby at the SLAF airbases in  Ratmalana, Anuradhapura, Higurakkgoda and Palaly while airmen in 23 SLAF bases and stations around the country are also kept on standby to be deployed in the rescue and relief operations.

Meanwhile, the SLAF has opened a water bottle collection centre near the SLAF Colombo base in front of the Department of Inland Revenue to distribute water bottles among the people in the flood and landslide hit areas.

The SLN, which deployed 80 boats, have rescued nearly 7,000 people from all the flood hit areas in the country. 

“We have also received some boats from the SLN Base in Trincomalee to use in this rescue mission,” SLN spokesman Captain Akram Alavi said.

Each boat, which use in rescue operations, has six sailors on board and is equipped with life saving jackets and other emergency rescue equipment. 

Captain Alavi said that the SLN faced difficulties when flood water was increasing as there was a huge influx of people to be rescued.

“But, our sailors put the maximum efforts to rescue all people, who are marooned, to take them to safe locations,” he said.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) had issued landslide warnings to seven districts early this week following heavy rain falls. The DMC still warns of possible landslides in Kurunegala, Monaragala, Badulla, Ratnapura, Kandy, Kegalle, and Nuwara Eliya districts in North Central province, Uva province and the Central Highlands.

The Centre warns the residents in those areas to be vigilant and avoid being in landslides prone hilly areas. Meanwhile, the Duty Meteorologist of the Meteorology Department said the cyclonic storm ‘Roanu’, which created a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal, has now shifted 600km north of Kankasantirai and will further move away from Sri Lanka.

“Strong windy conditions over the country and in the sea areas around the island will continue during next few days,” she said.

The Met Department predicts showers or thunder showers time to time in the Western, North-Western, Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Galle, Matara and Mannar districts.

Prime Minister inspects situation in flood-stricken areas

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday observed the areas flooded by the overflowing Kelani River and looked into the measures necessary for relief for people affected.

The Prime Minister after meeting with the people affected by the floods and discussing their needs instructed the relevant authorities to take immediate measures properly and efficiently to provide relief to the people.

Around 6,000 people are stranded on the left bank of the Kelani River due to the flooding, and the armed forces, the police and other government agencies with the mediation of the Prime Minister’s office are engaged in rescue operations.

Following a special discussion held at the parliamentary complex yesterday with the relevant institutions, the Prime Minister has appointed a high level committee to provide the relief services to people affected by the adverse weather conditions. Secretary to the Ministry of Disaster Management S.S Miyanwala will chair the committee.

Relevant government departments, agencies and officials have been instructed and given the authority and facilities to provide relief services efficiently and properly to the affected people, the Premier said.

Similarly, authorities of all political parties in the government have been instructed to coordinate relief operations efficiently at the community level to relieve the people from the disasters, he said.