COLOMBO: In Sri Lanka, which is experiencing its worst economic crisis in seven decades, troops gave tokens to people in lines waiting to buy gasoline on Monday. Colombo schools were closed, and government workers were asked to work from home.
The island, which has a population of 22 million, is having trouble paying for imports of food, medicine, and most crucially, fuel because its foreign exchange reserves are at an all-time low.
Autorickshaw driver W.D. Shelton, 67, one of those who received a token intended to hold his place in line for when fuel becomes available, said, "I have been in line for four days, I haven't slept or eaten properly during this time."
Shelton, who was 24th in line at a gas station in the middle of Colombo, continued, "We can't earn, we can't feed our families." He planned to stay there because he didn't have enough gas to travel the 5 kilometres (3 miles) to his home.
How much fuel the government could use up was not immediately known.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera stated on Sunday that the inventories now include roughly 9,000 tonnes of fuel and 6,000 tonnes of gasoline, but no more shipments are scheduled.
Schools in the commercial metropolis of Colombo and the surrounding areas have been closed for a week, and the government has ordered all employees to work from home until further notice.
Since last week, lines at the gas station have gotten much longer.
We don't know how tragic this situation will turn out to be, Shelton added.
Priority in gasoline distribution will be given to public transportation, power generating, and medical needs, with some petroleum being rationed to ports and airports.
Talks for a $3 billion bailout plan are being held in Sri Lanka by a team from the International Monetary Fund.
The Indian Ocean nation hopes to secure a staff-level agreement before the visit concludes on Thursday, but it is unlikely that will result in the release of any funds right now.
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