Sri Lankan authorities closed schools on Friday and asked government officials not to go to work in a desperate attempt to prepare for a severe fuel shortage expected to last several days amid the country’s worst economic crisis in decades.
The Ministry of Public Administration asked government officials, with the exception of those providing essential services, not to report to work on Friday “in light of the ongoing fuel shortages and vehicle problems” across the country.
Public and government-approved private schools also closed on Friday as fuel shortages deepened, with thousands queuing at gas stations across the country for days.
Currently, Sri Lanka has almost completely abandoned gasoline, and is also experiencing an acute shortage of other types of fuel.