More than 100 whales had beached on the Panadura Coast on Monday (02).

Sri Lanka Police and the Sri Lanka Coast Guard launched an operation to send these whales back to the sea without causing any harm.

Asha de Vos. a Sri Lankan marine biologist said based on the images obtained the whales are believed to be pilot whales.

She said a similar event took place in Sampur several years ago, adding the largest such beaching of whales took place in Australia a month ago.

De Vos went on to note, biologists still do not understand why these events take place however say the beaching could occur as pilot whales move in groups and when one of them gets too close the shore, the others also stay close that particular whale.

She said these whales need to be floated and carefully pushed back into the sea adding if they come up on to the beach, it would be harmful to the survival of the pilot whales.