Protesters storm Sri Lankan President’s home demanding his resignation. Police use tear gas and water cannons to quell the protests. Video shows men and women shouting “lunatic, lunatic go home”, reports news agency AFP. The economic crisis is said to be the country’s worst since independence.
Diesel is the main fuel for buses and commercial vehicles. Owners of private buses say they are already out of oil, and services may not resume until at least Friday.
Sri Lanka has enforced a 12-hour power cut — the longest ever — because they did not have diesel for generators. The state electricity monopoly said it had enforced the measure to protect against blackouts caused by lack of diesel. PUC said blackouts would be from 4.00 am (local time) to midnight.
As many as ten people injured following protests outside residence of Sri Lankan President. Wreckage of a bus blocking road to President Rajapaksa’s house was still visible on Friday morning.
At least one person was injured when police fired tear gas cannisters directly at demonstrators, local media report. It is not clear if they used live rounds or rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
The International Monetary Fund has said it will initiate discussions with Sri Lanka on a possible loan program. Security forces have been deployed across the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, after protesters tried to storm the president’s home in anger at the nation’s worst economic crisis since independence.
