By The Pulseline News Desk
The National Building Research Institute (NBRI) has launched an investigation into the repeated collapse of an earth embankment near Kadigamuwa, warning that slopes destabilised by Cyclone Ditwah could remain vulnerable to further collapses during rainfall, even after railway services have been restored.
The investigation follows the second collapse of part of the embankment this month, raising concerns over the long-term stability of sections of the Upcountry Railway Line that sustained extensive damage during the cyclone in November 2025.
NBRI Senior Scientist Wasantha Senadheera has told the media that slopes destabilised by Ditwah could become active again, potentially triggering further collapses until the affected areas gradually stabilise.
He has said the investigation would examine the causes of the recurring incidents and identify possible long-term measures to minimise the risk of similar disruptions.
“We provided the designs to reconstruct the railway sections damaged during Ditwah, and they have been reconstructed. Following this, train services resumed. However, we cannot guarantee that these issues will not recur, as slopes destabilised by Ditwah could become active again. We have launched an investigation into this and will look into what measures can be taken in the future,” Senadheera has said.
The latest incident occurred near Kadigamuwa Railway Station, where part of an earth embankment collapsed on Wednesday (14), sending soil onto the railway track and disrupting services.
A train that departed Colombo Fort at 5.15 p.m. for Peradeniya was halted at Rambukkana Railway Station because of the obstruction.
The incident was the second such occurrence in the area this month. On 5 October, just three days after regular passenger services resumed on the affected line, a morning office train struck a mound of debris between Ihala Kotte, Kadigamuwa and Gangoda, resulting in a derailment and significant delays.
The repeated incidents have highlighted the challenges of ensuring the long-term safety of railway infrastructure in areas where slopes and embankments were destabilised by extreme weather.
Restoration does not eliminate landslide risks
The Upcountry Railway Line underwent extensive restoration following the damage caused by Ditwah in November 2025. The rehabilitation work took nearly 10 months, with regular passenger train services officially resuming on 2 October.
The NBRI had provided designs for reconstructing railway sections damaged by the cyclone, enabling restoration work to proceed and services to resume. However, the recurrence of embankment failures suggests that the completion of reconstruction work does not necessarily eliminate the underlying risks associated with unstable slopes.
According to Senadheera, rainfall could reactivate slopes affected by the cyclone, creating the possibility of further collapses even after damaged railway sections have been repaired.
The ongoing investigation is therefore expected to look beyond the immediate restoration of damaged infrastructure and consider measures that could help prevent recurring failures.
Such measures will be important in reducing the risk of further disruptions to railway services and improving the resilience of infrastructure exposed to weather-related hazards.
With the Upcountry Railway Line having only recently returned to regular operations, the latest incident underscores the need to assess the stability of vulnerable slopes and embankments along the route.
The NBRI’s findings could help determine what additional interventions are required to address the risks posed by terrain destabilised during Ditwah, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
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