26th December 2017 16:15:43 Hours
Troops of the Army in the wake of worsening weather conditions across the island are currently engaged in multifarious relief and rescue operations in close cooperation with sister services, Police, civilians and other relevant agencies island-wide.
Consequent upon specific instructions given by Major General A P de Z Wickramaratne RWP ndu psc, Commander Security Forces (Central), a group of 33 Army personnel including 3 officers of 2 (Volunteer) Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (SLSR) and a group of 06 Army Engineer personnel including 01 Officer have thrown their full weight behind rescue operations at Ilukwaththa, Ranmalaka, Pilimathalawa, where a landslide occurred on 16th night in May 2016.
Troops who rushed to the scene got engaged in their search for any survivors, who are believed to have been buried alive and troops have been able to recover three dead bodies of the landslide victims at Pilimathalawa. Rescue operations had to be temporarily brought to a standstill due to adverse weather conditions, nevertheless operations have now commenced on 18th morning by removing soil in search of others who had gone missing.
Major General Wickramaratne paid an observation visit to the sites, where landslides occurred and gave instructions to General Officer Commandings (GOCs), Brigade Commanders and to all officers, who are engaged in operations and inquired the progress of the rescue operations.
Afterward Commander visited disaster-prone areas and areas affected by landslides and instructed the officers, who are in charge of relief operations on future measures to be taken. He also spoke to the affected-people and inquired their situation.
