COLOMBO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's police rescued 33 youths who were on a hike but lost at the 155-square-kilometer Knuckles mountain range due to heavy rain and fog, police said on Monday.
After police were informed of their disappearance, a team of police officers, forest conservation officers and army officers initiated a rescue operation on Sunday evening.
The hikers are all members of a hiking team.
The Knuckles mountain range, located in central Sri Lanka, has 34 peaks ranging in height between 1,900 meters and 900 meters and is a popular destination for hikers.
Each year, groups of hikers get lost due to adverse weather conditions. ■
