Sri Lankans return to cooking with firewood as crisis deepens

As Sri Lanka suffers its worst financial crisis in decades, millions are left struggling to buy food, medicine and fuel, people are returning to cooking with firewood.

Suppliers of cooking gas have been increasing the proportion of propane, looking to cut costs, which has led to over a thousand kitchens exploding across the country, killing at least seven people and injuring hundreds others.

But now, along with much else in the country of 22 million people, gas is either unavailable or too expensive for most.

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Some tried to shift to kerosene oil cookers, but the government did not have dollars to import it along with petrol and diesel, which are also in short supply.

And those who bought electric cookers were in for a rude shock when the government imposed lengthy power blackouts as it ran out of dollars to import fuel for generators.

Sri Lanka is in the midst of its worst financial crisis in seven decades, after its economic mismanagement and the crucial tourism industry hammered by Covid-19. The nation has run out of dollars needed to pay for most imports.