1 week ago
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A nationwide blackout in Sri Lanka, affecting its 22 million citizens, has been blamed on an unexpected source, a monkey intrusion at a power station south of Colombo.
Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody confirmed the unusual cause of the disruption, explaining that “a monkey has come in contact with our grid transformer, causing an imbalance in the system.”
The incident, which began around 11:00 local time (05:30 GMT) on Sunday, plunged the island nation into darkness, forcing many to rely on backup generators.
Efforts to restore power have been prioritized for essential services, including medical facilities and water purification plants. However, officials warned that full restoration could take several hours.
The incident sparked both criticism and humor on social media. Mario Nawfal, a user on X (formerly Twitter), commented, “A rogue monkey knocked out Sri Lanka’s entire power grid after triggering a total failure at a substation in Colombo. One monkey = total chaos. Time to rethink infrastructure?”
Another user, Sreeni R, posted an illustration of Hanuman, the Hindu deity depicted as a monkey, quipping that Sri Lanka had “tasted monkey business” before.
Jamila Husain, editor-in-chief of the Daily Mirror, remarked, “Only in Sri Lanka can a group of monkeys fighting inside a power station cause an islandwide power outage.”
Local engineers have long sounded alarms about the vulnerability of the national power grid.
In a report published Monday, the Daily Mirror cited an unnamed senior engineer warning that “frequent islandwide power outages may be expected if there is a disturbance even in one of our lines.”
The blackout recalls memories of widespread power outages during Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis, which further strained the nation’s fragile infrastructure.
Authorities are now facing mounting calls to urgently upgrade the country’s aging power grid to prevent future incidents, whether caused by natural disasters or curious wildlife.
Chioma Kalu
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