Luxury Bus Plunges 20 Feet into Ravine Near Mee Oya Bridge, Puttalam; 10 Injured

A major road accident occurred last night (2026/10/16) on the Puttalam-Karuwalagaswewa road when a luxury passenger bus, traveling from Colombo to Anuradhapura, veered off the road near the Mee Oya Bridge. The vehicle plunged approximately 20 feet into a ravine, causing significant damage and panic among the 27 passengers on board. The incident took place during heavy rainfall, which rendered the road surface extremely slippery. Preliminary investigations suggest that the driver lost control of the vehicle due to the adverse weather conditions, causing the bus to skid off the road and roll down the embankment through dense vegetation. Emergency response teams, including local residents and police, worked tirelessly through the night to rescue passengers trapped inside the wreckage. Ten injured victims were promptly transported to the Puttalam Base Hospital for urgent medical treatment. The Suwa Seriya 1990 ambulance service was alerted to assist in the evacuation process. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of hydroplaning during heavy rain. Motorists are advised to significantly reduce speed when approaching bridges and water-logged areas, as traction is severely compromised. Defensive driving, maintaining a safe distance, and exercising extreme caution during night-time travel in adverse weather are essential to preventing such tragedies. Always prioritize passenger safety over reaching the destination quickly.