Sri Lanka Crisis: No Petrol and Power; only essentials till July 10

The latest news from cash-strapped Sri Lanka remains grim with the island nation now suspending fuel sales to 'non-essential' and reserving the little fuel left for essentials such as the health sector. Sri Lanka as per reports has run out of fuel and facing an acute power shortage because of it.

With no fuel to generate power, heavily loss-making state-run electricity monopoly asked for a shocking price rise of over 800 percent for its poorest customers with the bankrupt nation out of fuel, regulators said. The nation is continuing to face 13 hour blackouts in parts as electricity remains scarce.

The root cause of this problem remains cash and the inability to buy fuel. The bankrupt nation’s energy minister apologised to motorists as the country ran out of fuel but was unable to say when petrol and diesel imports will be restored.

The government has shut non-essential state institutions along with schools for two weeks to reduce commuting because of the energy crisis, as well as giving public servants time off to grow food.