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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Floods - Army troops attached to worst affected district

Sri Lanka Army in view of the worsening flood levels has attached 10 Army personnel to Colombo and Kalutara District Secretariats for coordination work and other practicalities.

Meanwhile, nearly 2000 Army personnel now out in providing relief to flood victims in several badly hit Districts such as Colombo, Kalutara, Puttalam and Gampaha are assisting district administrators at different levels.

Some of those troops are assisting preparation of cooked meals, construction of alternative temporary houses and clearing of clogged and water logged culverts, canals, water ways and other irrigational structures that obstruct water flowing.

Nearly 100 soldiers with the support of Navy troops are at the moment busy removing floating logs, tree branches and trees and all different kinds of garbage pieces in the historic Hamilton canal at Handala, a major canal that carries a huge quantity of rain water into the sea. River mouth at Kerawalapitiya was also expanded by Army troops with the help of civilians in the area.

Army troops after taking medicine stocks also distributing medicines among victims that have been housed in temporary shelters. Troops also went on distributing some 5000 over lunch packets among stranded people in Kolonnawa. Troops also made floods in Dandugama bridge area drain down enabling vehicles to pass.