Lankan Army ends search for landslide victims, focused on relocation and relief

The Sri Lanka Army on Saturday called of search operations in landslide hit areas of the country, and said that it was now focused on relocation of survivors and providing relief to those affected by the natural calamity.

Massive landslides struck the Aranayake and Bulathkohupitya areas in Sri Lanka's Central Province.

Army spokesman Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweerav confirmed that the army will now focus more on relief and relocating operations.

The Colombo Page web site quoted him, as saying that 141 persons have been declared as missing in the Aranayake region so far. A final figure would be announced later in the day, he added.

Meanwhile, Army troops engaged in relief operations in Colombo suburbs have managed to rescue, evacuate and relocate an estimated total of 46,210 affected people, using about 56 boats of the Army and civilians till Saturday morning.

Cooked meals to people displaced by the floods in Colombo suburbs have also distributed by the troops.

Army Commander Lieutenant General Chrishanthe de Silva, inquiring into the needs of the Senior Officers who are engaged in emergency operations, stressed the need for them to be vigilant to any possible outbreaks of diseases in the aftermath of the floods.

He also urged his officers to to be in constant touch with medical authorities as well.

Meanwhile, assistance from other countries continue to pour in.

The United States Government has offered a three-year program to provide safe-drinking water to the people to flooding and droughts, apart from providing assistance to meet the urgent needs of victims of the ongoing landslides and flooding in various parts of Sri Lanka.

The United States Government has provided Rs. 7.2 million (US$ 50,000) for immediate disaster assistance for non-food items such as blankets, mattresses, clothing and hygiene kits.

The Nepal government in a statement expressed its deep sorrow on the loss of human lives and property in Sri Lanka, report Colombo page.

As a token of its solidarity, Nepal extended an assistance of US dollars 100,000 for the relief operations in the disasters-hit zones.