A tragic accident involving a bus carrying Buddhist pilgrims in central Sri Lanka has resulted in at least 21 fatalities and numerous injuries, officials have confirmed.
The incident occurred early Sunday near Kotmale, a mountainous region approximately 140 kilometres east of Colombo.
The bus, operated by a government-run service, veered off a steep cliff while en route from the southern sacred town of Kataragama to Kurunegala in the central part of the country.
Sri Lanka’s Deputy Transport and Highways Minister, Prasanna Gunasena, stated that 14 passengers were hospitalised with injuries following the crash.
Dramatic TV footage captured scenes of the overturned vehicle lying at the base of the gorge, as bystanders worked together to pull victims from the debris.