Six Elephants Killed in Train Collision in Sri Lanka

A passenger train derailed after striking a herd of elephants near a wildlife reserve, leaving the animals dead but sparing human passengers from injury.

• The collision occurred late Wednesday night near a wildlife reserve on the train route between Batticaloa and Colombo in Sri Lanka.
• Five elephants died instantly, and a sixth succumbed to injuries later; two others were injured, with one receiving treatment.
• The train derailed due to the impact, but no passengers aboard the train were harmed.
• Sri Lanka's parliament is discussing enhanced safety measures, including the potential use of digital technologies, to prevent future train-elephant collisions.
• Elephants hold a sacred status in Sri Lanka, where approximately 7,000 wild elephants live, but incidents involving trains and elephants are a recurring issue.

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