Trekking down the mountainside, I was suddenly face to face with the majestic Huluganga waterfall; thousands of gallons of water per second cascading a dozen feet down, crashing over massive boulders into the Huluganga river below.

Through a veil of mist shimmered a bright rainbow as the sunlight merged with the water droplets in the air.

Beautiful as it was, to the villagers living around the waterfall, a one-hour drive down a windy country road northeast of the central city of Kandy, the river has caused untold anxiety, since, until recently, the only means of crossing the Huluganga river was a 42-meter-long bridge of dilapidated wooden planks.

During the May through August rainy season, the swollen river would gush across the bridge, often ripping off decaying planks, leaving gaping holes and only the wire ropes to balance on.

Morgan Jennifer remembered feeling dizzy from seeing the swirling waters below when, heavily pregnant five years ago.