Several injured in three-bus collision on A9 Road in Rambewa

Daily Mirror, Tamilmirror, Newsfirst (தமிழ்), Newsfirst, and Newsfirst (සිංහල) report five deaths, while Hiru News and one Newswire report put the toll at four. The collision involved three passenger buses near Rambewa, on the A9 in Anuradhapura, around the Rambewa–Welioya junction; Newswire identifies the location as within the Mihintale Police Division.

Rupavahini News, Newswire, Newsfirst, Newsfirst (தமிழ்), and Newsfirst (සිංහල) identify the vehicles as two Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses and a private bus. One Newswire account says an SLTB bus travelling from Vavuniya towards Rambewa tried to pass a private bus, then collided head-on with an oncoming SLTB bus, with the private bus also caught in the crash. A later Newswire account instead says the private bus struck the rear of the SLTB bus after the head-on collision.

Reported injury totals also vary. One Newswire update, citing police information, says about 70 people were injured and admitted to Anuradhapura and Medawachchiya hospitals. Another Newswire report gives around 18 to 20 people taken to hospitals in Anuradhapura, Vavuniya and Medawachchiya. Newsfirst and Newsfirst (සිංහල) report more than 40 injured, while Tamilmirror says more than 50; Rupavahini News says injured passengers were taken to hospitals without giving a total.

Newswire reports that bodies of four people were taken to Rambewa Hospital. Newswire says Mihintale Police were investigating, and a separate Newswire update reports that two police teams were deployed to establish the circumstances of the crash.