CORPS OF SRI LANKA ENGINEERS LAUNCHED SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) AND RELIEF OPERATIONS AT MEETHOTUMULLA
Sapper Troops of Corps of Sri Lanka Engineers have launched rescue and relief operations from the day of the disaster at the garbage dump at Meetotamulla which occurred on Friday (14th April 2017). A segment of the Meetotamulla garbage dumping site collapsed in the afternoon around 1458 hrs on 14 April 2017 destroying number of houses resulting numerous amount of and death and wounded.
5 SLE and 12 SLE are involved in rescue excavations whilst 14 Independent Engineer Regiment was deployed as the first respondents with CBRN response capability. Commander Engineer Brigade is coordinating the entire Engineer effort with the directions of Comd SF HQ (West) and Chief Field Engineer.
The area effected is divided to four sectors for the rescue operations and those are namely, Rahula Vidyalaya, Dahampura Community Centre, CTB road lane one and Pansalwattha/Dahampura.
Engineer troops were inducted to the crisis situation as the first respondent from the Corps of SLE around 1545 hrs on 14 April 2017. Plant equipment were rapidly shifted to the disaster site around 1930 hrs and become the key stakeholder of this disaster relief mission while assisting infantry troops to conduct the rescue mission effectively.
Over 20 officers and 150 other ranks are involved in the operation with 31 heavy plant machineries. Rescue operation is continued.
