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Economic crisis in Sri Lanka: Power is cut off for 13 hours/day, hospital stops surgery

The above situation took place in the context Sri Lanka immersed in Economic Crisis deeper and deeper.

The South Asian country of 22 million people is in the midst of its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948, with a severe shortage of foreign currency to pay for even imports. necessary.

Sri Lanka’s electricity regulator said it would extend power cuts from 10 hours to 13 hours per day from March 31, enforcing nationwide power cuts.

This Indian Ocean island nation has been power shortage severe since early March. The monopoly power supply unit in Sri Lanka said the increase in power cut time was applied because there was no oil to power the generators.

According to Sri Lankan officials, more than 40% of the country’s electricity is generated from hydroelectricity, but water levels in most reservoirs are dangerously low because there is no rain.

At least two hospitals in Sri Lanka have announced the suspension of routine surgeries because they do not have enough critical medical supplies, anesthetics and chemicals to perform diagnostic tests and also in other cases. emergency situation.

Economic crisis in Sri Lanka: Electricity was cut off for 13 hours a day, the hospital stopped operating - Photo 1.

People during a power cut in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Photo: Reuters)

Sri Lanka’s largest medical facility, the National Hospital in the capital Colombo, confirmed it had also stopped performing routine diagnostic tests. However, an official added that the facility will continue to be powered by the national grid.

The electricity regulator in the Sri Lankan capital has urged more than 1 million government employees to work from home to save electricity.

“We have asked the Government to allow around 1.3 million employees in the public sector to work from home over the next two days so that we can better manage fuel and electricity shortages,” said Janaka Ratnayake, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Public Utilities Commission, told Reuters news agency.

Amid the worst economic crisis in decades, foreign exchange reserves have fallen by 70% over the past two years, to a low of $2.31 billion in February, making it difficult for Sri Lanka to imports of essential goods, including food and fuel.

According to Mr. Ratnayake, the prolonged power cut is partly due to the government’s inability to pay $52 million for a shipment of 37,000 tonnes of imported diesel waiting to be unloaded.

Sri Lanka’s main fuel retailer said there would be no diesel, the most commonly used fuel for public transport, in the country for at least two days.

Local television stations reported that protests had spread across the country demanding fuel for private vehicles as well as public transport. There were no reports of violence, but hundreds of drivers blocked main roads in several towns with their cars, while dozens protested outside the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in Colombo demanding the removal of the governor. Governor Ajith Cabraal.

Fuel prices have also been on the rise, with petrol prices almost doubling and diesel up 76% since the start of the year.

Sri Lanka’s current predicament is exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic which has hit the tourism and remittances industries heavily.

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