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Schoolgirl drowns after falling into unprotected drain in Kandy
View(s):The Road Development Authority (RDA) has been called in to complete work on an unprotected drain at the Nittawela junction on the Kandy- Katugastota road after a schoolgirl drowned on Thursday after falling into it, Kandy Municipal Commissioner Chandana Tennakoon said.
Sahebdeen Mohamed Afra an Advanced Level student from Badi-ud-Din Mahmud Vidyalaya fell into the unprotected drain while returning home from a tuition class around 5 p.m. Her body was recovered from the Mahaweli River about 800 metres away.
Passers-by who had seen her falling had tried to pull her out but failed in their attempts. They said there had been a heavy shower just before the student fell and the water was gushing in the open drain.
Eventually a group of sand miners had pulled her out from the river using ropes. “We were alerted that a person was being swept away by the current. We waited on the bank and pulled her out using ropes. She was rushed to hospital,” one of the miners said.
Police said the schoolgirl was taken to the Katugastota Divisional Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Yesterday the RDA put up a barricade at the site to avert similar accidents. “The heavy rains these days are hampering the RDA in their work but they have promised to look into all exposed drains, Mr. Tennekoon said, adding that the RDA has been alerted to other potential hazards However a resident close to Nittawala junction complained that no warning sign had been put up although the RDA has been unable to complete the work.