COLOMBO, Aug. 30 -- Sri Lanka will deploy special disaster-relief teams from its security forces to Nepal in the coming days to assist with rescue and relief operations following severe flooding, Deputy Defence Minister Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara said, adding that the government has also begun preliminary arrangements to provide US$1 million in emergency financial assistance.

Speaking to journalists in Anuradhapura, Jayasekara said the government had taken a policy-level decision to send relief teams comprising personnel from the country's three armed forces to support communities affected by the floods.

He said discussions were underway to determine the number of personnel and the types of teams required, based on an assessm...