The Duplication Road in Kollupitiya has been reopened for vehicular movement after the fallen tree that had blocked the traffic was cleared.
In the early hours of the day, a large tree collapsed on to a passenger bus, killing five people and leaving a dozen injured.
All people trapped inside the bus were rescued by police and air force personnel and were rushed to the Colombo National Hospital, for immediate medical attention. However, five of them later succumbed to injuries.
The Deniyaya-bound bus, which had departed Pettah in the morning, had met with the accident near the Liberty Roundabout in Kollupitiya.
Traffic congestion was reported in the area as the Duplication Road was closed for several hours following the accident. The police had urged the motorists to use alternative routes until the road was cleared.
Meanwhile, on the directives of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake has instructed the Transport Ministry and Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) to provide financial aid up to Rs. 500,000 each to the families of those who died in the tragic accident at Kollupitiya this morning.
