A landslide occurred on the old railway yard road in Nawalapitiya today (28), killing three members of the same family when a mound of earth collapsed on a house.
According to the Nawalapitiya police, the deceased include a woman, her mother-in-law and a three-month-old baby.
The landslide was reported to have occurred due to heavy rainfall in the Nawalapitiya area.
Despite a joint rescue effort by residents and Nawalapitiya police officers, they were unable to save the victims. The bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the Nawalapitiya District General Hospital.
Five people have died in the Nawalapitiya area so far due to the adverse weather conditions, and nearly 50 families have been shifted to shelter camps, said Nawalapitiya Divisional Secretary Ramya Jayasundara.