Sri Lanka declares state of emergency after President Rajpakasa flees the country

Colombo, July 13: Hours after embattled Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajpakasa flees the country, Sri Lanka declared a nationwide state of emergency on Wednesday, the Prime Minister's office said.

"Since the president is out of the country, an emergency has been declared to deal with the situation in the country," Prime Minister's spokesman Dinouk Colombage told AFP.

Rajapaksa with his wife along with two bodyguards fled the country to the Maldives on Wednesday. "Sri Lankan President, the first lady along with two bodyguards were subjected to full approval by Ministry of Defense for immigration, customs and other laws to fly to the Maldives. Air Force aircraft was provided to them in the early morning of July 13," Sri Lankan Air Force Media Director said in a statement.

As per the earlier reports, Rajapaksa had signed his resignation dated July 11 and the letter would be submitted to the Speaker on Wednesday. However, the Speaker has confirmed that he is yet to receive the President's resignation.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Sri Lankan Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said, "We haven't received President Gotabaya's resignation yet, but we hope to get one in a day."

As the news of Rajapaksa fleeing the country without submitting his resignation spread, hundreds of furious protestors enter the premises of his residence in Colombo as they breach the security deployment amid tear-gas shelling.

President Rajapaksa's escape from Colombo was negotiated by Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Nasheed, sources in the Maldives capital Male informed PTI. The Maldivian government's argument is that Rajapaksa is still the President of Sri Lanka, and that he hasn't resigned or handed over his powers to a successor. Therefore, if he wanted to travel to the Maldives, it could not have been denied, the sources added.

He is expected to be in the Maldives on transit before flying to another destination which is yet to be known. Rajapaksa is likely to send his resignation letter only after reaching his final destination on Wednesday evening, Sri Lanka's The Morning news portal reported, citing highly placed government sources. It is learnt that Rajapaksa's resignation letter would be sent to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena at around 8 pm Sri Lanka time, it added.

Sri Lanka is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials.