Minister blames monkey for triggering nationwide blackout in Sri Lanka
The blackout occurred when the monkey found its way into the Panadura power station, south of Colombo, and came into contact with a grid transformer, according to Kumara Jayakody, the energy minister.
The disruption cut power across the island country, leaving millions without electricity for hours, and affecting hospitals, water purification plants, and railway systems.
'A monkey has hit a transmission line inside a power station, causing an immediate imbalance in the system and the national grid shut down,' Mr Jayakody told reporters.
A security guard at the Panadura power station said he heard a loud explosion followed by a ball of smoke rising from the power station.
The monkey died on the spot, he said.
Many have been forced to rely on generators since the blackout started at about 11.00am local time (5.30am GMT) on Sunday. Residents were asked to disconnect their solar power systems and use water sparingly until the power supply was restored.
While the power is being gradually restored, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) officials said it would take approximately four more days to rectify the situation.
'We are restoring health facilities and water purification supplies on priority,' the CEB said. The Energy Ministry and the CEB have apologised to the public for the inconvenience caused by the power outage.
As authorities scrambled to restore power, many Sri Lankans could not help but draw parallels to the legendary tale of Hanuman, the monkey god who, in Hindu mythology, set fire to the island with his burning tail.
Social media was abuzz with memes and satirical posts, with some suggesting that Hanuman returned to remind Sri Lanka of its crumbling infrastructure.
The incident has reignited criticism of the country's outdated power grid, with engineers warning that the system is so fragile that even a minor disruption can lead to catastrophic failure.
An investigation has been launched to find the exact cause of the blackout, while residents argue that the government should prioritise modernising the grid rather than blaming the rogue monkeys.
'If a monkey can shut down an entire country, what does that say about our national security and preparedness?,' asked one resident, Karalasingam Sivalingam. 'It's not yet April to be fooled,' another joked.
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