Following the calamitous earthquake in Nepal on 25 April 2015, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, telephoned and conveyed condolences and sympathies on loss of precious lives and damage to property due to the earthquake, to Rt. Hon. Sushil Koirala, Prime Minister of Nepal.

On 26 April 2015, the Government of Sri Lanka dispatched a 48 member relief and rescue team comprising doctors, engineers and other personnel from Sri Lanka armed forces. The contingent arrived in Nepal on the same day and commenced relief and rescue work in Dolalghat area in Kavre District as designated by the Government of Nepal. The Sri Lankan contingent was subsequently strengthened to 140 on 29 April 2015 with the arrival of second group.

The Sri Lanka Medical Team has treated 1897 patients, affected by the earthquake since 26 April 2015 which includes both medical and surgical cases at Dolalghat and Panchkhal.

The team has also been conducting mobile clinics in the remote hilly areas such as Palanchowk, Sipaghat, Sipang etc.

Members of the Engineering Corps of Sri Lanka Armed forces has so far cleared 5.1 km distance of roads in Dolalghat and six (06) surrounding areas, which were impassable due to earthquake, making them passable for vehicles carrying relief material as well as ambulances. The Engineering Corps has also cleared the environs of the Bhagwati Hindu Temple of Palanchowk enabling devotees to perform religious rituals. They have also restored a suspension bridge in Sipaghat and established water distribution points at Dolalghat.

The government of Sri Lanka has sent three aircraft to Nepal with relief material consisting of medicine, medical equipment, rice, water, tents, blankets and warm clothes, milk powder, canned food etc, which has been handed over to the Government of Nepal for distribution to the needy. Sri Lanka will be sending few more cargo aircraft with relief material to Nepal in due course.

A Sri Lankan delegation headed by Hon. A H M Fowzie, Minister of Disaster Management arrived in Kathmandu on 29 April 2015 and met with President Rt. Hon. Dr. Ram Baran Yadav and Rt. Hon. Sushil Koirala, Prime Minister of Nepal and conveyed condolences of H E Maithreepala Sirisena, President, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister and people of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka to the Government of Nepal on the tragic loss of lives and severe damage to properties including historical monuments and religious sites of Nepal. The Sri Lankan delegation assured the Government of Nepal of its continuous assistance for relief and rescue operations and reconstruction process. Sri Lanka also offered to reconstruct a Buddhist Temple in Nepal, damaged due to the earthquake.     

The Sri Lankan contingent is continuing with their relief operations in Dolalghat area.

Thanks Sri Lanka.

@telegraph