Commander of the Navy attends special meeting chaired by Governor of the Northern Province and Deputy Minister of Defence for relief efforts in Northern Province
The Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera took part in a special meeting chaired by Governor of the Northern Province along with Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), senior tri-service personnel and government officials at the District Secretariat in Mannar on 27th November 2024. Discussions focused on assessing the disaster situation in the area and implementing immediate relief measures to address the urgent needs.
In response to the ongoing disaster situation in the region, immediate measures were prioritized for effective relief efforts. The Navy Commander provided crucial instructions and guidance to enhance the efficiency of the Navy's disaster relief operations in the Mannar area.
Following his visit to SLNS Gajaba in Mannar, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera inspected the Muttu Amman Kovil in Mannar, St. Anthony's Church in Oluthudai, Mother Teresa Tamil College and Eluttur, where displaced individuals have been sheltered, and gave directives to ensure the efficient execution of relief efforts. The Commander of the Navy also visited several flood-stricken Naval Detachments and establishments in the North Central Naval Command and gave necessary directives.
At the directives of the Commander of the Navy, 11 relief teams of the Sri Lanka Navy has been deployed in Ampara, Batticaloa, Puttalam, Anuradhapura and Mannar for relief and rescue operations. The relief teams are currently (as of 28th November 2024) working in full swing to provide necessary aid and support to affected communities.
Accordingly, Navy relief teams dispatched to Karthivu, Navinnaveli in Ampara, Kalawanchikudi in Batticaloa, Chilaw, Pallama, Arachchikattuwa and Bingiriya in Puttalam, Bogas Handiya and Parakramapura in Anuradhapura and Thunukkai and Oluwaneri in Mannar are actively engaged in distributing cooked meals, rescuing individuals trapped by the floods, and transporting people using dinghies.
Moreover, 135 additional Navy relief teams are on standby, prepared to be deployed immediately to assist the public in the event of flooding.