A search and rescue operation is under way in the Kalu Ganga near the Naragala Bridge in Horana for a 19-year-old man swept away by the current while bathing on Monday evening, Ada Derana reported.
The youth was one of three friends who arrived at the river to bathe at about 7.30 p.m. on Monday, police said. When one of them jumped in and tried to swim, he was carried off by the strong current. A second youth jumped in to reach him and was also caught by the current, struggling to get back to the bank.
The missing man has been identified as a 19-year-old resident of the Yala area. Horana Police were alerted and began investigations on Monday night.
Lifesaving teams deployed
Lifesaving teams from the Police Marine Division were scheduled to begin searching the river on Tuesday morning.
Police said the stretch is known for strong currents. Because of concerns about crocodiles in the area, local residents and the missing man’s friends kept bonfires burning along the riverbank overnight.
What is not reported
Ada Derana did not say whether the second youth required hospital treatment, how far downstream the search extends, or whether the Disaster Management Centre or navy divers have joined the operation. The missing man has not been named.
Context
The Kalu Ganga rises in the central highlands and runs through Ratnapura and Kalutara to the sea. It carries fast water for much of its length and has featured repeatedly in flood reporting this year, including when hill country roads were blocked by flooding in early August.
Horana Police are conducting further investigations.
