Sri Lanka is sending two government ministers to Russia to negotiate for fuel - as pumps run dry.
The army has been deployed to the few stations that have any fuel left, to help implement a new rationing system.
The government has extended a two-week closure of non-essential state institutions.
There's been widespread anger at the president because of decades of economic mismanagement.
Al Jazeera's Minelle Fernandez reports from Colombo.

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