Elephant attacks in Sri Lanka

The fourth death in Galgamuwa  caused by a wild elephant attack within the space of a month, was reported today. The latest victim of the human-elephant conflict was forty-four-year-old E.M. Jayaratna, a resident of Madadombe in Galgamuwa.

The father of two was attacked by a wild elephant near the Kudawewa Paddy Fields.Our reporter says that his body showed signs of being attacked and dragged along for some distance.

The most recent incident in Galgamuwa, prior to this was reported the day before yesterday.

The victim of this fatal elephant attack was 51 year old H.M. Heenbanda, a resident of Deva Giri Pura.

Human-elephant conflict, before even the final rites could be performed for the last victim, the scale of the problem in Galgamuwa, is clearly evident.

Before Heenbanda, a 53 year old father of two residing in the Palukaduwala area in Galgamuwa was also killed.

On the 10th of this month, the farmer Hethuhami was attacked while he had left home to obtain medication for his daughter.

Hethuhami was 67 years old.

All of the fatal attacks that have occurred this month, have been reported from an area with a circumference of 1 and a half kilometers.

Chief Minister of North Western province, Jayasekera said; “there are no instant solutions. As a Provincial Council we have decided to implement a program to put up electric fences. We will incur a huge cost as a result and we hope to permanently resolve this problem.”