13 injured as elephant goes on rampage in Sri Lanka

An elephant went on a rampage during a religious event in southern Sri Lanka, injuring 13 people, local media reported on Sunday.

The incident occurred on Saturday night during the Ruhunu Kataragama Mahadevala procession, a major religious and cultural event held at Kataragama, in the Uva province, local English daily The Sri Lanka Mirror reported.

The injured are being treated at the local hospital, and no one was critically injured, the police said.

Elephant rampages during religious festivals are not uncommon in the country, mainly because of the loud noises made by the attendees.

Authorities often urge people to avoid making loud noises during processions to ensure that elephants remain calm.