Monkey Incident Triggers Nationwide Power Outage in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka experienced a nationwide blackout after a monkey disrupted a transformer at a power station in Colombo, leading to a six-hour outage that affected 22 million residents. The incident has prompted extended power cuts as authorities work to restore the national grid, with power cuts implemented in the evenings to manage peak demand. The Ceylon Electricity Board is investigating the unusual cause of the blackout, which has drawn public mockery and frustration over the state of the nation's power infrastructure. Additionally, the Sri Lankan government is facing increasing scrutiny over its wildlife management strategies, as conflicts with the growing monkey population have led to both agricultural damage and this recent blackout. Amid an ongoing economic crisis, calls for infrastructure improvements have intensified, highlighting systemic issues within the power supply system. The event has also sparked discussions on the need for better transparency from the government regarding its handling of such crises.