In the early hours of Thursday, a passenger train derailed after striking an elephant flock close to a wildlife refuge in northern Sri Lanka.
While no wounds were reported among people, six animals died from the incident in Habarana, south of the money Colombo.
Two wounded animals were being treated, authorities said, noting that it was the worst for wildlife crash the country had seen, AFP reported.
In Sri Lanka, where there are among the highest deaths rates for both human-elephant contacts and human-elephant crossings, trains frequently run into animals of animals.
Last year, more than 170 people and almost 500 animals were killed in such encounters.
Animals, whose natural habitats are affected by forest and shrinking sources, have extremely strayed into areas of human activity.
Around 20 animals are killed by carriages annually, according to local advertising.
Some have urged drivers to halt and horn the station to avert moving creatures along railroad tracks.
A female elephant and its two calves also passed away in Habarana in 2018 after being struck by a coach. The three were a larger cattle that was crossing the station paths at dawn.
Last October, another coach ran into a flock in Minneriya, about 25km apart from Habarana, killing two animals and injuring one.
There are an predicted 7, 000 wild animals in Sri Lanka, where the animals, revered by its Buddhist majority, are protected by law. A conviction for killing an rhinoceros is a crime that can result in fines or imprisonment.