Wild elephant attack kills one, injures three in Sri Lanka

A 68-year-old woman was killed and three others injured on Friday after wild elephants entered the town of Valaichchenai in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, attacking residents and damaging property, police said.

According to authorities, the elephants entered several villages in Valaichchenai at around 6:00 a.m. local time, causing panic among residents who fled the area, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

The victim, a food vendor, was fatally attacked by one of the elephants, police said. Three other people sustained injuries during the incident.

Wildlife and law enforcement officers later drove the elephant back into the forest.

Human-elephant conflict remains a serious issue in Sri Lanka. Between 2015 and 2024, a total of 3,477 wild elephants and 1,190 people lost their lives due to ongoing clashes, Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi told parliament last year.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev