Eight people died in two accidents yesterday (22), the police said. Three persons died and three others were injured when the van they were travelling in skidded off the road and went over a precipice near the Ravana Ella on the Ella-Wellawaya road.
The victims have been identified as employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), the police said.
The injured had been admitted to hospitals in Sirigala, Badulla, Wellawaya and Demodera. At the time of going to press rescue operations were under way to save another person trapped in the vehicle.
Five persons died instantaneously when the motor vehicle they were travelling in collided head-on with a tipper truck at Walakumbura, Alawwa on the Colombo-Kurunegala Road on Friday morning. Of the five youth, four had been employed at the MAGA construction company.
They were returning home after attending a funeral.
It is believed that the driver of the ill-fated motor vehicle had fallen asleep at the time of the tragedy.
The dead were identified as Mihiri Sachithra Pathirana (29) of Ibbagamuwa, Charitha Kaushalya (25) of Nelumdeniya, Charitha Piyasanka (28) of Welimada, Manoj Mallawarachchi (25) of Welimada and Tharuka Adheesha (23) of Kottukachchiya. The tipper truck driver is in police custody. Alawwa police are conducting investigations.