Monday, May 12

At least 21 people are dead after a serious bus crash in Sri Lanka, and at least 35 additional passengers have been hospitalized with injuries.

The crash occurred in Kotmale, a small town around 80 miles east of the country's capital of Colombo. The bus was traveling alongside a steep hill in an mountainous area known for its tea farms, and the rural nature of the roads can lead to frequent accidents.

The bus, which had around 50 people onboard, was driving along the road when it skidded off the edge of the cliff, tumbling down before coming to a stop at the bottom of the ravine. Debris was strewn all over the crash site, with pieces of metal and numerous pieces of the bus' exterior and interior lying across the area.

Rescue teams reached the site soon after and began an operation to save any survivors and get them treated quickly. Currently, 35 people are in the hospital for various injuries, while 21 people were found dead at the scene.

An investigation has now begun into the cause of the crash, which could have been due to a mechanical issue with the bus or a serious error from the driver.

Unfortunately, deadly bus crashes like this are common in the mountainous, rural areas of Sri Lanka, where badly maintained buses travel daily across narrow, unkempt roads, and driver error can commonly lead to major crashes as well.

Upcoming Events:

• Vesak (Monday, May 12)

• International Day of Plant Health (Monday, May 12)

• International Day of Families (Thursday, May 15)

• PGA Championship (Thursday, May 15 to Sunday, May 18)

• International Day of Living Together in Peace (Friday, May 16)

• International Day of Light (Friday, May 16)

• World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (Saturday, May 17)

• Football Association Cup Final (Saturday, May 17)

• Table Tennis World Championship Begins (Saturday, May 17)

• World Masters Games Begin (Saturday, May 17)

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In a Sentence: Our baby grandchild is just the sweetest little darling.