Sri Lanka faces its worst economic crisis and in order to prepare itself for an acute fuel shortage that might last for days, the Sri Lankan authorities have closed schools and asked public officials not to come to work. This desperate move was made on May 20, Friday.

Both the state schools and government-approved private schools were shut on Friday amid the worsening fuel shortage. Public officials too suffer a similar fate, as the students. "Except for those who maintain essential services," the Sri Lankan Public Administration Ministry has asked others, "not to come to work on Friday in view of current fuel shortage and issues in transport facilities across the country," as PTI reported.

The nation is facing economic and political unrest. The authorities have announced countrywide power cuts of up to four hours a day because of the fuel shortage. People have been queueing up at fuel stations for days and essential commodities are also short. Widespread protests have emerged and the homes of lawmakers and their supporters have been burnt down.