COLOMBO —
Sri Lanka has less than a day’s worth of fuel
left, the energy minister said Sunday, with public transport grinding to a halt
as the country’s economic crisis deepened.
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Petrol and diesel queues snaked through the capital
for kilometers, though most pumping stations have been without fuel for days.
Energy minister
Kanchana Wijesekera said petrol
reserves in the country were about 4,000 tonnes, just below one day’s worth of
consumption.
“The next petrol shipment is expected between the
22nd and 23rd (of July),” Wijesekera told reporters in Colombo.
“We have contacted other suppliers, but we can’t
confirm any new supplies before the 22nd.”
Last week, cash-strapped Sri Lanka announced a
two-week halt to all fuel sales except for essential services to save petrol
and diesel for emergencies.
Most shops were closed Sunday, with the situation
expected to worsen when banks and offices reopen on Monday.
Desperate people were seen trying to flag down the
few vehicles on the road hoping for a ride.
Privately owned buses, which account for two-thirds
of the country’s fleet, said they operated a skeleton service on Sunday as they
were badly affected by the fuel shortage.
“We operated about 1,000 buses across the country
out of the 20,000 owned by our members,” Private Bus Operators Association
chairman Gemunu Wijeratne said.
“The situation will certainly get worse tomorrow
because we have no way of getting diesel.”
He said services would be curtailed further on
Monday and saw no immediate solution.
Three-wheel taxis — a popular last-mile transport —
were also off the streets, with most seen in days-long queues to get a ration
of six liters of petrol.
A shortage of
foreign currency to finance even the most essential imports has led to the
country’s worst economic crisis, with its 22 million people facing severe hardships
daily.
The country has also faced record-high inflation and
lengthy power blackouts since late last year.
All non-essential government institutions and
schools have been ordered shut until July 10 to reduce commuting and save
energy.
Local media reported there had been sporadic clashes
outside fuel stations.
Last week, troops opened fire to disperse a mob
protesting against the military jumping the queue.
Sri Lanka is currently in talks with the
International Monetary Fund for a possible bailout after the country defaulted
on its $51 billion external debt in April.
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