Army Troops Give Away Their Own Daily Ration Packets To Flood Victims - PHOTOS

Treating them with generosity and magnanimity, East-based Army troops in their hundreds were extending their humanitarian services further, offering their own food rations to flood victims as of Thursday (10) afternoon as per direct instructions of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya who has given a free hand to his troops to meet with the challenge.


Thoppigala, one of the worst affected areas in the Batticaloa district with torrential rains wreaking havoc, still remains almost cut off from the main supply routes, but alert ground troops, despite threats to their own lives, reached settlements and villages to rescue a number of civilians while being dragged or trapped in floods. By Thursday (10) morning, the number of rescued civilians in the East has risen to 1700 including many children and women.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Secretary Defence Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa who have been in constant touch with the Commander of the Army were monitoring the threats of rising water levels round the clock and instructed accordingly to prioritize the rescue of civilians, caught in the deluge as a matter of urgency before everything else.

In the past couple of days, following directives given by the Commander of the Army, all Field Commanders in the East responded to the need and went on releasing their own dry ration stocks to feed the affected and other rescued civilians until relief supplies reached them.

Army Rescue and Relief Teams with the assistance of Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (SLMC) troops swiftly rose to the situation and commenced a special ad hoc medical camp near Iranakulam, Sittandy. In the past few days, over 230 flood victims were either resuscitated, given first aid or medical treatment before some of them were transferred out or airlifted to peripheral hospitals in view of their worsening condition.

Army troops last evening (9) rushed to the Mulliwattuwan tank, Thoppigala and began restoration and repair of its breached bund as a result of gushing waters. By Thursday (10) afternoon, hundreds of ground troops were almost reaching its completion, reports reaching Colombo said.

Another contingent of Army troops, as this report was being filed, has already undertaken the challenge of restoring the famous, Red Bridge in Pankudaweli on A 35 Chenkalady - Karadiyanaru road since one side of the bridge had been completely damaged and washed away making the road impassable to both traffic and civilians.

On Thursday (10) Army troops managed to reach Kudumbimalai, Iralankulam, Pulipanchakal, Tharavikulam, Panlodaweli, Wadduvan, Thoppigala and several other areas with the use of some ten boats and provided dry rations to the marooned, adequate for three days. Nearly 10,000 – 15,000 stranded people have been well taken care by the Army since other authorities find it difficult to reach those areas under water. In the past few hours ending Thursday (10) evening, Army troops managed to distribute about 1200 cooked meal packets among victims as well as dry ration packets to over 700 families.

Nearly 40,000 Army troops serving the East have been deployed in worst affected areas providing immediate relief with the coordination of provincial authorities, Navy, Air Force and the Police. Source By: army.lk