How Did 5 People Die in a Three-Bus Crash on the A9 Road in Rambewa, Sri Lanka?
Quick answer: Five people were killed and more than 50 injured in a three-bus collision on the A9 road at Rambewa, in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the morning of Tuesday 10 November 2026.
Key facts
- What: Three-bus collision
- Where: A9 road (Anuradhapura–Jaffna main road), Rambewa, North Central Province, Sri Lanka
- When: Morning of Tuesday 10 November 2026
- Vehicles: Two Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses and one private passenger bus
- Reported toll: 5 killed and more than 50 injured
- Emergency number: 119 (police) / 1990 (ambulance)
- Status: Developing — a formal probe has been ordered
What happened
Two state-owned SLTB buses collided head-on on the A9 road at Rambewa. A private passenger bus then crashed into the rear of one of the buses, according to police reports carried by Hiru News, the Daily Mirror and Xinhua. The crash happened on the main Anuradhapura–Jaffna road, a busy route through Sri Lanka's North Central Province, during the morning.
Emergency services and police attended the scene, and the injured were taken to hospitals including Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital.
Casualties
Five people were killed and more than 50 were injured, according to Xinhua and Hiru News. Early police figures, reported by the Police Media Division through Hiru News, put the toll at four dead and 76 injured; the death toll later rose to five. The number of injured reported has varied as hospitals and police updated their counts, so the figures should be treated as the latest reported totals rather than a final confirmed toll.
What happens next
The Anuradhapura Additional Magistrate has ordered a formal probe into the collision. Police are expected to establish the full sequence of events, including the condition of the vehicles, speeds, driver hours and the state of the road, and to publish a confirmed casualty count. We will update this article as official information is released.
Road safety in Sri Lanka: the numbers
Sri Lanka records about 2,738 road deaths a year, according to World Health Organization estimates — a rate of about 12.5 deaths per 100,000 people, below the global average of 17.5. On average, the WHO estimates that about eight people die on Sri Lanka's roads every day. The Rambewa crash is a reminder that a single multi-vehicle collision can add several deaths to that toll in a moment, and that bus travel on main roads carries particular risk when vehicles meet at speed.
Frequently asked questions
How many people died in the Rambewa bus crash?
Five people were killed, according to Hiru News, Xinhua and the Daily Mirror.
Where did the crash happen?
On the A9 road, the Anuradhapura–Jaffna main road, at Rambewa in Sri Lanka's North Central Province.
What vehicles were involved?
Two Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses and one private passenger bus.
How many people were injured?
More than 50 people were injured, according to Xinhua. Early police figures reported 76 injured.
What caused the crash?
According to police reports, the two SLTB buses collided head-on and the private bus then hit the rear of one of them. The full cause is subject to the formal probe ordered by the Anuradhapura Additional Magistrate.
What is the emergency number in Sri Lanka?
Dial 119 for police and 1990 for an ambulance.
In this story
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