A passenger train derailed after striking a herd of elephants near a wildlife reserve in central Sri Lanka in the early hours of Thursday. While no injuries were reported among passengers, six elephants died from the accident in Habarana, east of the capital Colombo.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — At least six elephants were killed when a passenger train hit a herd near a wildlife sanctuary in Sri Lanka, an official said on Thursday.

Sri Lanka's main elephant orphanage marked its 50th anniversary Sunday with a feast of fruit for the 68 jumbos at the showpiece center, reputedly the world's first care home for destitute pachyderms.

A Sri Lankan passenger train derailed Thursday after smashing into a family of elephants, with no passengers injured but six animals killed in the island's worst such wildlife accident, police said.

Graphic content / Wounded elephants. A passenger train derailed after hitting a herd of elephants near a wildlife reserve in Habarana, Sri Lanka, early Thursday, resulting in six elephant fatalities.

At least six elephants were killed in Sri Lanka after an express train got derailed after ramming into a herd near a wildlife reserve in the early hours of Thursday. The Batticaloa- Colombo express train was running near a wildlife reserve at Habana,