Sri Lanka, Sept. 4 -- A major disaster was narrowly averted yesterday (03) evening when a large tree branch struck a passenger bus on the Ingiriya-Padukka main road. The swift response of the bus driver prevented what could have been a serious tragedy.

The incident occurred in the Maha Ingiriya area when the rear of a container truck traveling from Ingiriya to Padukka snagged a dangerous overhanging branch of a massive tree. The branch broke off with a loud crash and fell directly onto a private passenger bus following the container.

Thanks to the bus driver's immediate reaction, the vehicle was brought to a sudden stop within seconds, sparing passengers from a potentially devastating accident. Witnesses said that had the driver delaye...