One person has died and four others have been hospitalised following a landslide near Ganetenna Junction in Kadugannawa along the Colombo–Kandy main road, authorities confirmed.

Hospital sources said four individuals who were trapped under the debris were rescued and admitted to the Mawanella Hospital.

Rescue teams are continuing operations to locate and assist several others feared to be trapped beneath the rubble.

The landslide struck a roadside snack and tea shop, a popular stop for travellers, burying the structure along with several vehicles.

According to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC), rescue operations remain ongoing. Earlier, three people trapped in the debris were rescued and admitted to the Mawanella Base Hospital.

The incident has caused major traffic disruptions, with authorities restricting the Colombo–Kandy main road to a single lane in the affected section. Police said movement along that lane has also been halted due to safety concerns.

Officials warn that persistent heavy rainfall has heightened the risk of further landslides, rockfalls, and earth slips in the Pahala Kadugannawa area.

The public has been advised to use alternative routes as the road remains temporarily closed from the Ganetenna area as a precaution.