Five people were injured when a wild elephant attacked a van that was travelling from Padukka towards Anuradhapura, the Daily Mirror reported.
The occupants sustained injuries in the incident when the animal set upon the vehicle. The report did not immediately specify the extent of the injuries or the exact location along the route where the attack occurred.
Encounters between people and wild elephants remain a persistent and often deadly problem in Sri Lanka, particularly along roads that pass through or near elephant habitats and migratory corridors. Vehicles travelling at night through such areas are especially vulnerable, and wildlife authorities regularly urge motorists to exercise caution.
The human-elephant conflict has claimed a significant number of human and animal lives in recent years, driven by the expansion of farmland and settlements into traditional elephant ranges. The government has been advancing measures including electric fencing, designated elephant corridors and a national action plan aimed at reducing dangerous encounters.
Authorities typically advise drivers who come across elephants on or near roadways to stop at a safe distance, switch off headlights that may agitate the animal, and avoid sounding the horn or attempting to drive past. Wildlife officers are usually deployed to help shepherd elephants away from populated routes.
