Crisis-hit Sri Lanka has petrol left for only one day: New PM

Sri Lanka only has enough petrol stocks to last a single day, with the possibility of power outages lasting up to 15 hours a day, the country‍‍`s new prime minister has warned.

In his first address to the nation since his controversial appointment last week, Ranil Wickremesinghe said there is also "grave concern" about the shortage of 14 medicines, with a particular lack of heart disease drugs and the anti-rabies vaccine - the latter of which has no alternative treatment.

"Payments have not been made for four months to suppliers of medicine, medical equipment, and food for patients," said Wickremesinghe.

He warned that the next couple of months "will be the most difficult ones of our lives. We must prepare ourselves to make some sacrifices and face the challenges of this period".

It comes as the country‍‍`s power minister, Kanchana Wijesekera, told people not to join the long fuel queues that have galvanised weeks of anti-government protests.

Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka needed to secure $75m (£61m) in foreign exchange in the next few days to pay for essential imports.

The country has a "very low amount" of dollars, although the PM said he "obtained money to avert this crisis".

He stated: "A quarter of electricity is generated through oil. Therefore, there is a possibility that the daily power outages will increase to 15 hours a day."

And he also added: "We must also immediately obtain $20m to provide gas to consumers. The situation of kerosene and furnace oil is even more urgent."

Wickremesinghe, who was sworn in as PM for the sixth time last week to try to bring stability to the country, said the lack of diesel "will be resolved to some extent" due to a diesel shipment that arrived on Sunday.

Two shipments of petrol and two of diesel using an Indian credit line could provide more relief in the next few days, he added, but the country is also facing a shortage of 14 essential medicines.

He has also proposed the privatisation of Sri Lankan airlines.