18 injured as overloaded bus plunges down precipice

By Norman Palihawadane

At least 18 persons were injured when an SLTB bus, plying from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya, veered off the road and plunged down a precipice at Watawala, yesterday morning.

The accident occurred around 4.30 am near the Watawala Sinhala Maha Vidyalaya, on the Colombo-Hatton main road.

Watawala police said that the accident had happened when the bus slid off the road.

At least 18 people were injured and admitted to the Watawala Base Hospital while five of the injured were transferred to the Nawalapitiya Hospital.

Police said the overloaded bus was carrying around 100 people at the time of the accident.