A man has died after a tree collapsed onto a moving three-wheeler on the Rambukkana–Mawanella road near the Talagolla bridge in the Mawanella Police Division last night (23), police said.
According to police, the tree had suddenly fallen onto the vehicle while it was travelling along the road, causing the fatal accident.
With the quick assistance of police officers and area residents, four passengers trapped inside the three-wheeler two men, a woman, and a child were rescued and rushed to the Mawanella Hospital.
The driver of the three-wheeler, a 38-year-old resident of Mawanella, succumbed to his injuries, hospital sources confirmed.
The fallen tree completely obstructed vehicular movement along the Rambukkana–Mawanella road near the Talagolla bridge. Efforts are currently underway to clear the tree, police said.
Authorities have requested motorists and the public to use alternative routes until the road is restored for normal traffic flow.
The body of the deceased has been placed at the Mawanella Hospital mortuary, while further investigations are being carried out by the Mawanella Police.
