- विज्ञापन -
Colombo: Twenty-one individuals were injured in a head-on crash between a private bus and a Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus in Kegalle, Sabaragamuwa province, central Sri Lanka, police reported on Monday.
The accident occurred around 5 a.m., and the injured are currently receiving treatment at two different regional hospitals. Authorities from Kegalle police have initiated an investigation into the incident.
In a similar event on June 18, about 23 people were injured when a passenger bus collided with a container truck in Ratnapura district in south-central Sri Lanka. The incident caused traffic disruptions on the main Colombo-Ratnapura road for approximately an hour. All injured individuals were taken to hospitals, with reports indicating that none are in critical condition.
Additionally, according to Xinhua news agency, Sri Lanka has reported a total of 592 deaths from 565 fatal road accidents through April 2 this year.
Sri Lanka Police’s Deputy Inspector General of Motor Traffic and Road Safety, Indika Hapugoda, shared that during the same period in 2024, there were 594 fatal crashes resulting in 619 deaths. He added that April tends to see a higher number of deadly accidents due to nationwide celebrations, with 204 fatalities recorded in April 2024. December also usually experiences a spike in road fatalities for similar reasons.
Reviewing annual data, Hapugoda mentioned that in 2023, there were 2,231 fatal accidents resulting in 2,341 deaths, and in 2024, this increased to 2,403 fatal crashes with 2,541 fatalities. He further noted that 7,127 individuals sustained serious injuries in fatal accidents last year, many of whom face long-term health issues or permanent disabilities.
