- Five out of six deceased jumbos' females
- Vets treat survivor
The Batticaloa-Colombo train, ‘Meenagaya’, collided with a herd of elephants at Gal Oya last morning (20), resulting in the death of six elephants and critical injuries to another, the Railways Department said.
The incident occurred near the 141-milepost on the Batticaloa Railway line when a herd of seven elephants, crossing the railway track from the Kaudulla Forest Reserve, was struck by the train. Five of the seven elephants died on the spot, while two others sustained critical injuries. One of the injured elephants later succumbed to its injuries.
According to officers from the Kaudulla Wildlife Conservation Office, the deceased elephants were aged 8, 15, and 20, with five of them being females. Meanwhile, the Giritale Wildlife Veterinary Unit has commenced treatment for the remaining injured elephant, which is also in critical condition.
Meanwhile, the collision has caused the train to derail, obstructing services on the line. Accordingly, train operations on the Batticaloa railway line have been limited to Habarana, and the ‘Pulathisi’ train scheduled to operate from Batticaloa to Colombo has been cancelled. Furthermore, efforts to re-rail the derailed locomotive engine have already begun. In the meantime, the department had also arranged a replacement train for the passengers of the ‘Meenagaya’.
The department has called for a report within seven days regarding the incident. When contacted by The Daily Morning, Railways General Manager Dhammika Jayasundara said that he had instructed the Deputy General Manager (Transport) of the department to conduct an inquiry into the incident and submit a report within seven days. The future course of action is to be decided upon the submission of the said report.
Attempts to contact the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) proved futile.
In Sri Lanka, wild elephant-train collisions have become a frequent issue, especially in areas where railway tracks cut through elephant habitats and crossings.
When queried by The Daily Morning as to whether there is any programme in place to prevent such incidents, DWC former Director General Chandana Sooriyabandara, on an earlier occasion, said that they were working together with the Railways Department to prevent such incidents.
Noting that the Railways Department had made certain decisions on technical matters such as railway tracks, Sooriyabandara said that they were in agreement with such proposals. He also said that the DWC was engaging in activities such as installing signboards so that train drivers could easily identify elephant habitats and crossing areas.