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Rockslide in Pahala Kadugannawa kills 6
View(s):A rockslide in Pahala Kadugannawa on the Colombo–Kandy main road left six dead and several others trapped yesterday, triggering a large-scale rescue mission and causing severe traffic disruption.
The incident occurred at around 8.45 a.m. when a huge boulder, along with an earth mound and several smaller rocks, broke loose from a slope below the railway line and crashed onto a house and a roti shop in the Ganethanna area in Kegalle.
Police said the roti shop had been occupied at the time by customers who had stopped for breakfast, while the vehicle they had arrived in – parked outside – was also damaged.
Residents managed to rescue three people, who were rushed to hospital. One fatality was confirmed when emergency teams began digging through the rubble in search of others believed to be trapped, thought to be around eight individuals. A Sri Lanka Army rescue team with over 30 members, assisted by police and local volunteers, deployed heavy machinery, including backhoes, to clear debris and reach survivors.
Traffic along the Colombo–Kandy Road was brought to a standstill, causing long queues as authorities temporarily restricted access to the affected stretch. Police urged motorists to use alternative routes through Hemmathagama and Gampola until clearance operations are complete.
Meteorology officials have repeatedly identified the Kandy and Kadugannawa areas as high-risk zones for landslides following days of heavy rainfall. Disaster management teams had warned that unstable slopes in the region pose continuing danger.
Pix by Shane Seneviratne and R.V. N. Jayawardena
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