Deputy Minister of Defence looks into disaster relief activities in Mannar

Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) made an emergency visit to Mannar last evening (Nov 26) to assess and inspect the disaster situation and relief efforts in the region.

The Deputy Minister accompanied by Army Commander, Navy Commander, officials of the Disaster Management Center (DMC) and armed forces officers in the region visited several areas worst affected by floods caused by the inclement weather being experienced in most parts of the country.

Mannar is one of the areas most affected by the inclement weather in the country. He visited safe locations housing flood victims and looked into the welfare arrangements in place there. He directed relevant officials to ensure the safety of the affected communities especially to cater to the immediate needs of children, women and the elderly.

With the intervention of the Mannar District Secretary, Divisional Secretaries and relevant officials, 25 disaster relief centers are currently operating with the aim of providing relief to the displaced people in the district, and steps have been taken to provide immediate relief to those affected by the disaster.

A special discussion was held this morning (Nov. 27) under the patronage of the Governor of the Northern Province and the Deputy Minister with the DMC and senior public administration officers as well as senior officers of the tri-services in the disaster-affected areas. The current situation and its future trends, as well as how the relief measures currently being implemented can be further strengthened if the situation worsens, were discussed. He also instructed the relevant officials to take all necessary steps to expedite rescue operations and provide relief to the displaced people to prevent loss of life.

During the subsequent media brief held to inform the public regarding the current situation, the Deputy Minister revealed the measures taken to protect the community and provide required facilities at the relief centers. He also informed on the special security program implemented by the tri-forces and police officers to ensure the safety of the properties of the affected communities being housed in relief centers. He also said that under the instruction of the President, combined effort by all essential services including the tri-forces, Sri Lanka Police, Civil Security Department, Health Department, etc. is currently underway to provide necessary relief to the displaced communities promptly and systematically.

In addition, the general public is informed to be vigilant and take special care to minimize the risks of landslides or other natural disasters and in such an event to immediately contact and alert the Disaster Management Center through the following dedicated emergency hotline numbers 0112 136 222 / 0112 670 002 or 117.