An 18-year-old Buddhist monk has died after drowning while bathing in the Kirindi Oya in the Thelulla area of Wellawaya, police said.
According to Ada Derana, the monk was among a group who had travelled to a residence in Thelulla to attend an almsgiving ceremony. The group later visited the Kirindi Oya to bathe, and the young monk is reported to have drowned while in the water.
He was rescued and admitted to the Thanamalwila Divisional Hospital, but hospital staff confirmed that he had succumbed. The Uva Kuda Oya Police have begun an investigation into the incident.
The death adds to a troubling toll of drowning fatalities recorded across Sri Lanka this year, many involving young people bathing in rivers, tanks and reservoirs. Inland waterways can carry deceptively strong currents and sudden changes in depth, and the risk rises during periods of fluctuating water levels.
The incident comes as the government moves to establish a coordinated national mechanism for drowning prevention and lifesaving, to be led by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, amid growing concern over the frequency of water-related deaths. Officials have repeatedly urged the public to take care when bathing in open water, especially in unfamiliar locations.
