Wild elephant herd wreak havoc

A herd of wild elephants that roamed into several villages including Mapakada and Dambagalla
in the Mahiyangana Division had caused much havoc destroying cultivated land
and damaging houses, o cials said.

Villagers said the herd of about six jumbos roamed into the villages at dusk and destroyed
chena cultivation and home garden crops.

Residents said they were living in constant fear to their life and that they would not move
out after dusk even to obtain treatment for an urgent

We light fires and elephant crackers to scare away the marauding herd but to no avail. Our
children often stay back at home without attending school in fear of any possible danger
frequenting the jungle track. We have been facing this danger for more than 40 years,
they said
illness. They said the herd from the Randenigala Forest Reserve roamed into the human
habitats across the Mahaweli River in search of fodder and water and frequented the villages
in the nights.“We light fires and elephant crackers to scare away the marauding herd
but to no avail. Our children often stay back at home without attending school in fear of
any possible danger frequenting the jungle track. We have been facing this danger for more
than 40 years,
” they said.

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