Seventeen schoolchildren and a van driver were injured after a school van and a private passenger bus collided head-on in the Katugastota area on the Kandy–Jaffna A9 main road on Sunday afternoon.
According to police, the accident occurred at around 2.00 p.m. near Kalugala in Katugastota.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the private bus was travelling towards Kandy, while the school van was travelling in the opposite direction when the collision took place.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene and transported the injured students and the van driver to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
The injured were admitted to the Katugastota District Hospital and the Kandy National Hospital, where they are receiving medical care.
Authorities have not reported any fatalities, and the condition of the injured individuals has not yet been officially disclosed.
Police officers and emergency personnel worked to clear the area and manage traffic following the incident.
Katugastota Police have launched further investigations to determine the cause of the accident.
