COLOMBO (News 1st); The Embassy of the United States has issued an alert with regard to the economic situation in Sri Lanka for American citizens in the country.

According to the Embassy, Sri Lanka is currently experiencing shortages of fuel and cooking gas as well as some medicines and essential food items, due to the ongoing economic situation in country, and points out that there have recently been protests over the economic situation and queues at gas stations, grocery stores, and some pharmacies.

“Some of the protests have turned violent, and in response, police have used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters, and imposed curfews. There have also been daily planned power outages across the island, as well as some unplanned power outages, as fuel for backup generators is increasingly scarce. Public transportation in some instances has been limited or curtailed. Travelers should monitor local media for updates on the ongoing situation,” The US Embassy stated in its alert.

Therefore, US citizens have been urged to;

• Avoid the areas of rallies or demonstrations.
• Exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests.
• Monitor local media for updates.

Contact information of the Embassy has also been given in case of an emergency.

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