November 10, Colombo (LNW): At least five people have lost their lives and approximately 70 others have suffered injuries following a major road accident involving three buses on the Kandy–Jaffna A-09 Highway near the Rambewa–Weli-Oya junction.
The collision took place this morning (10) within the Mihintale Police Division, leaving several passengers injured and prompting an emergency response from nearby hospitals.
According to preliminary police findings, the incident began when an SLTB bus travelling from Vavuniya towards Rambewa attempted to overtake a private bus moving in the same direction. During the attempt, the state-owned bus reportedly crossed into the path of an oncoming SLTB bus, resulting in a head-on collision.
The situation was further compounded when a third bus crashed into one of the vehicles already involved in the accident, turning the incident into a three-bus pile-up.
Around 70 injured passengers were subsequently transported to hospitals in Anuradhapura and Medawachchiya for medical attention. They are currently receiving treatment, while the bodies of those who died have been taken to the Rambewa Hospital mortuary.
Police have launched a further investigation to establish the full circumstances surrounding the tragedy, including the sequence of events that led to the devastating collision.