June 01, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s armed forces personnel have been deployed to provide relief to the people stranded by flash floods and landslides in several areas of the country.

Torential rains since Friday in the southern districts of Galle and Kalutara, the southeastern districts of Kegalla and Ratnapura, and the central hilly areas have caused floods and landslides marooning thousands of people.

Eleven rescue teams from the Sri Lanka Navy provided relief in severely affected areas in Ratnapura, Galle and Kalutara districts while the Navy divers evacuated the stranded people to safer areas. Security personnel used 11 naval boats in the rescue and relief operations.

"Navy boats were used to rescue people trapped in flooded areas," Keerthi Ekanayake, the national coordinator of the National Disaster Management Center said.

Forty five soldiers have been detailed by the Sub Area Headquarters in Kuruwita to the Disaster Management Centre in Ratnapura, Media Center for National Security said.