The country’s new prime Minister has warned that there is a danger of power outages lasting more than 15 hours per day and Sri Lanka has only enough petrol stock to last one day.

Ranil Wickremesinghe addressed the nation for the first time since his controversial appointment last Wednesday. He stated that there was also “grave concern” about the shortage 14 medicines. This includes a lack of anti-rabies vaccine and heart disease drugs.

Mr Wickremesinghe stated that “payments have not been made for the past four months to suppliers medicine, medical equipment, or food for patients.”

He said that the next few months would be “the most difficult of our lives”. This period will be difficult and we must prepare for the possibility of making some sacrifices.

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This comes as Kanchana Wijesekera (the country’s power secretary) told people to not join long fuel queues which have sparked weeks of antigovernment protests.

Mr Wickremesinghe stated that Sri Lanka must secure $75m (PS61m), in foreign currency in the next few hours to pay imports essential.

The country has a “very small amount” of dollars. However, the PM stated that he had “obtained money in order to avoid this crisis”.

He said that oil is responsible for 25% of the electricity generated. There is a chance that power outages could increase to 15 hours per day.

He also stated that $20 million is needed immediately to supply gas to consumers. Even more urgent is the situation with furnace oil and kerosene.

Wickremesinghe was sworn into office as PM last week for the sixth time to restore stability in the country. He said that the shortage of diesel would be solved to some degree due to a Sunday arrival of diesel.

Fuel shipment on the way

He said that two shipments of petrol and diesel could be sent using an Indian credit card to provide additional relief over the coming days. However, the country also faces a shortage in 14 essential medicines.

He also suggested the privatization of Sri Lankan Airlines.

Continue reading: Sri Lanka’s current situation.

Long queues of autorickshaws – the most common mode of transport in Colombo – waited at petrol stations in Colombo as people waited for fuel.

Driver Mohammad Ali said, “I’ve been waiting in line for over six hours.” “We spent almost six to seven hours waiting in line to get petrol.

“Is it worth us sitting here waiting?” ‘

Mohammad Naushad (another driver) stated that the station where he was waiting ran out of fuel.

He said, “We’ve been there since 7-8:30 in the morning and it is still unclear if they will be able to have fuel.” “When it will come, nobody knows. We don’t know what it will look like, so why are we waiting?

Few people realized that the new prime minister addressed the nation along the Colombo seafront.

They weren’t surprised, however, to learn that it was worse news.

Renuka Sirimanne, a mother of three, was walking with her children. She said that life is becoming more difficult. She expressed concern about her children’s future as they are “unable to get a good education” in the United States.

Sky News spoke with another man who agreed. His son has been sent to Australia by his father to learn about the Rajapaksa political family’s “looting”.

Mohammad Sheikh Ali also blamed government officials and called for a change in political system.

Sheikh Ali stated that Sri Lankan Airlines’ privatization is a bad decision. There will be no real development in Sri Lanka while the government prints money to pay salaries.

He added that the government has spent millions of dollars on unneeded infrastructure projects in the past few years.

Manusha Jayathilaka, a creative entrepreneur based in the city, believes that Sri Lanka is currently in “survival mode” and that the political leadership must get the country “running”.

In his address, the prime minister stated that Sri Lankans face difficult times ahead. The situation was described as “terrifying”. The situation is threatening to get worse.

The Indian Ocean island nation is facing its worst economic crisis since 1948 independence and is at the brink of financial ruin.

It has been hard hit by the COVID pandemic and rising oil prices, as well as populist tax cuts made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa.

An acute shortage of fuel, medicine and other essentials has caused rampant inflation, which has led to thousands of protestors taking to the streets.

The country has stopped paying $7bn (PS5.7bn), in foreign loan repayments due for this year.

According to the IMF, any assistance in short- or long-term is contingent on the outcome of negotiations with creditors regarding loan restructuring. Out of a total foreign debt of $51bn, it must repay $25bn in foreign loans.

Since March, protests have been held on the island nation of 22 millions people between those who support the government and those who want an immediate change of authority.

Last week, a protester killed an MP and other politicians were set on fire by violent elements in the country.