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Five garment factory employees drown while bathing in river
View(s):Five employees of a leading garment factory in Gampaha drowned while they were bathing in a river in Panwila off Kandy, Police said.
The incident took place yesterday afternoon when a group of 16 employees including executives of the factory and three children, were on a two-day outing.
Tragedy struck at around 2.45 p.m. when they were bathing in the Dalu Oya, a tributary of the Hulu ganga. Police suspect that the drowning would have occured due to a sudden increase in the water level in the river. The police had recovered the five bodies that comprised three females and two males.
The bodies were taken to Teldeniya hospital.
The victims were identified as Sherline Andrew Benaz (26) of Ampitiya, W.Madhushan Priyankara (28) of Kirindiwela, Gajani Sivanathan (26) of Wellawatte, Fathima Nusha (22) of Moratuwa and P.A. Susil Manjula (30) of Ganemulla Panwila Pradeshiya Sabha Member S.M.S. Haja Mohideen, who rushed to the spot along with area residents and helped in the search, said, that there was a heavy downpour further upstream from where the tragedy occurred.
With the upcoming new year holidays Police are warning the public to be more cautious when bathing in unfamiliar waterfalls, rivers and streams.
Last Saturday four people, including three schoolgirls drowned in Hiniduma while they were bathing in a river.