State of emergency declared in Sri Lanka

July 13, 2022, 12:51 PM
by AP/UNB

UNB News
Publish- July 13, 2022, 12:51 PM
AP/UNB
Update- July 13, 2022, 02:08 PM

State of emergency declared in Sri Lanka

People arrives at the official residence of president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fourth days after it was stormed by anti government protesters in Colombo in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, July 13, 2022. The president of Sri Lanka fled the country early Wednesday, days after protesters stormed his home and office and the official residence of his prime minister amid a monthslong economic crisis that triggered severe shortages of food and fuel.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared a state of emergency in the South Asian country, the Prime Minister's Office said on Wednesday.

The police have imposed a curfew in the Western Province, including the capital Colombo, the Office said after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has left the South Asian country amid an economic crisis.

Earlier in the day, the office confirmed that President Rajapaksa has left the country for the Maldives.

Rajapaksa had informed the speaker of Sri Lankan parliament that he would resign from the presidency on Wednesday. Sri Lanka this year has been suffering a severe economic crisis which has led to protests.

Sri Lanka's speaker of parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said political party leaders have decided to elect a new president on July 20 through a vote in parliament.

Read: Sri Lanka's new president to be elected on July 20: speaker