Sri Lankan Motorists Line Up for Blocks for Gasoline Amid Economic Crisis

Sri Lankan motorists lined up for blocks to fill their gas tanks in Panadura, in western Sri Lanka, amid civil unrest and an ongoing economic crisis on Friday, July 8.

This footage shows dozens of cars lined up for the IOC Panadura gas station. Local Janindu Perera, who uploaded the footage, said it showed “just a very small part of a fuel queue” for this station.

Perera also said people have been waiting for over four days to get 10 liters of fuel, which approximately converts to 2.6 gallons. Storyful has not independently confirmed this statement.

Sri Lankan police imposed a curfew in Colombo on Friday after protests over the country’s skyrocketing inflation – which has made it difficult to pay for necessities such as fuel, food, and medicine – turned violent, according to local media outlet News 1st.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been widely blamed for the economic crisis, and many have called for his resignation with the hashtag “Go Home Gota” on social media. Credit: Janindu Perera via Storyful

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