Three people were killed when a large tree collapsed onto a three-wheeler at Mapakanda junction in Nawalapitiya on Thursday morning, Ada Derana reported.
Police said the tree was located near the main road at Mapakanda and fell onto a three-wheeler travelling towards Nawalapitiya. A school student and two women passengers died in the incident. The three-wheeler driver survived.
Authorities are continuing investigations into the circumstances of the tree fall, which comes as the Department of Meteorology has warned of heavy showers of up to 100mm and 40-50 kmph winds across the central hills on the same day. Saturated soils and high winds along ridge roads are a recurring cause of tree collapses in the Nuwara Eliya–Kandy district belt during southwest monsoon onset.
Nawalapitiya has been the site of several serious road incidents in recent weeks, including a container truck crash on May 1 and a school van accident on May 5 in which 13 children were injured.
