A Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) bus operating a scheduled route from Monaragala to Kotiyagala veered off the road and overturned into a ditch at Domabagahawela 31 Junction on the Monaragala–Siyambalanduwa main road on Friday, leaving at least 26 passengers injured, police said.
NewsFirst reported that the bus “lost control, skidded off the roadway, and became lodged in a roadside ditch.” Newswire’s account, citing preliminary police findings, said the driver had lost control before the bus toppled into the ditch.
All injured passengers were transferred to the Monaragala District Hospital for treatment. Newswire said both men and women were among those hospitalised. Police have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
The Domabagahawela stretch lies on the trunk route between Monaragala town and the Siyambalanduwa hub in Sri Lanka’s Uva Province, an undulating two-lane road that has featured in several recent road-safety incidents. The accident comes amid heightened traffic ahead of the Vesak holiday weekend, with police deploying additional resources to manage road safety risks across the country.
