Public emergency declared in Sri Lanka amid economic woes

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has declared a public emergency as the country faced a severe power crisis and rising inflation, Xinhua news agency reported.

Rajapaksa declared on Friday night the public emergency by issuing a special gazette notification that said the emergency was declared in the interests of public security, protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community.

The president said the public emergency would come into operation throughout Sri Lanka from Friday.

Sri Lanka has in recent months faced an economic crisis as shortages of fuel, foreign exchange and electricity affected the country.

On Thursday night, a protest erupted outside Rajapaksa's house in capital Colombo with protestors asking for immediate relief from the long power cuts and an end to the shortages.

The protest later turned violent with dozens of people being arrested.

An overnight curfew was imposed in parts of Colombo which was lifted on Friday morning and the police once again imposed a curfew in the Western Province on Friday at midnight which was scheduled to be lifted on Saturday morning.

-- BERNAMA