Bodies of father, son drowned in Velioya found

The bodies of the 17-years-old son and his 52-year-old father who were swept away by a sudden gush of water in the Velioya river in Kalupahana, Haldumulla, were found this morning (16), the police said.

With the support of the Army rescue team from Diyatalawa and area residents,  search operations were launched last evening (15) to locate the bodies of the two victims.

The two bodies were found wedged among the rocks some 600 meters away from the spot where they went missing, police said.

The tragedy struck when relatives and members of one family travelling from Pamunuwa, Maharagama to Bandarawela to spend the New Year holidays were having a bath in the Velioya river, Grama Niladhari of the area W.M.B.Weerakoon said. He said the Velioya river saw a sudden gush due to the heavy rain experienced in the Ohiya area in the highlands.

Another couple that was caught in the sudden gush of water and was holding on to a rock was saved by the area residents after a great effort with the help of ropes and tree logs.