A mother and her child caught in strong down currents in the Menik Ganga near the Sella Kataragama Devalaya were rescued by troops of the Sri Lanka National Guard.

The pair became stranded after the river’s water level rose rapidly following the sudden release of water from the Weheragala Reservoir.

Heavy rains in the area had prompted the short-notice release of a large volume of water, leading to the dangerous conditions.