Five killed as tree falls on to bus at Kollupitiya

Update- The government announced today that compensation amounts to Rs 500,000 each to the families of five victims who were killed in the accident when a tree fell on a SLTB bus in Kollupitiya today morning. 

The matter was raised in Parliament by Sri Lanka Podhujana Peramuna (SLPP) Sanjeeva Edirimanna where noted that the Colombo Municipal Council has a separate unit to maintain trees within the city but failed to take early steps to prevent accidents. 

He also noted that the unit is armed with necessary equipment such as scanners to test the root strength of trees but the unit failed to take early measures. 

Five persons were killed and twelve injured when a tree fell on a bus near the Liberty Roundabout in Kollupitiya this morning. 

The tree had fallen on to a state-run Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) traveling from Colombo to Deniyaya. 

Seventeen persons who were injured in the accident were taken to the Colombo National Hospital, where five of them were pronounced dead.  

Police stated that the Duplication Road has been closed temporarily after the incident as clearing operations are continuing.

Heavy traffic congestion has been reported in the area and police have advised motorists to use alternate routes. 

The tree that fell as seen on Google Street View