As the Report reports with reference to TASS, this is reported by the Daily Mirror newspaper.
The incident occurred early on Friday morning on the Batticaloa-Colombo branch line in the Eastern Province. As a result of the collision, two elephants were killed and several animals were injured. A locomotive and four oil tanks derailed, two of which overturned. Train traffic has been suspended, and it will take several days to eliminate the consequences of the accident.
Despite the fact that elephants are considered sacred in Sri Lanka and are protected by law, about 200 individuals die in the country every year, mainly in collisions with trains and as a result of murders by peasants defending their lands from animal raids. About 50 Sri Lankans die every year from elephant attacks on their homes built near animal habitats. According to the authorities, the elephant population in Sri Lanka is about 7 thousand individuals.
