Schools, universities, government offices and other areas will now be closed on Wednesday.
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Sri Lanka to declare Wednesday a public holiday to save fuel. Saturday and Sunday are regular public holidays in Sri Lanka. The government has said that Wednesday will be a holiday if government work is not disrupted for three consecutive days. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said that Wednesday has been declared a holiday due to special circumstances.
Schools, universities, government offices and other areas will now be closed on Wednesday. “We must prepare for the worst, but hope for the best,” President Dissanayake said at an emergency meeting with senior officials on Monday.
Private cars are allowed to buy only 15 liters of oil per month and motorcycles 5 liters.
Asian countries have seen a fuel shortage after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz. About 80 percent of the crude oil imported into Sri Lanka comes from Central Asian countries through the Strait of Hormuz. The crisis in West Asia has also led to a shortage of cooking gas (LPG) in Sri Lanka.
Global fuel price hikes and shortages have hit Sri Lanka's economy hard.
Asian countries are struggling due to the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route through which about 20 percent of the world's crude oil supplies flow.
In Thailand, the government has urged people to wear short-sleeved T-shirts to reduce their dependence on air conditioning.
In Myanmar, private vehicles are operating on an odd-even system. Universities and schools are also closed in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Government employees are not allowed to work from home.
In the Philippines, some government offices have made it mandatory for employees to work from home at least one day a week.
Vietnam has urged citizens not to go out except for essential work. They have been urged to ride bicycles, give lifts and use public transport more.
