Daily NEWS Srilanka

The Blackout which prevailed from 2 in the afternoon today for a period of two or three hours right round the island was explained by the Electricity Board as a technical fault that occured as a result of a bolt of lightening. However, the government has focused her

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasingha and Minister for Power and Energy, Mr. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya have instructed the authorities to find out whether this incident of electricity breakdown has been caused because of an act of sabotage. The order given further states to investigate whether a group of saboteurs are behind this act and had engaged in this sabotage with the intention of bringing the government into disrepute and chagrin in the presence of the public. A special committee too was appointed under the leadership of the Minister for Power and Energy, Mr. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya this evening in connection with this incident, it was reported.

After the power breakdown at 2 in the afternoon, about two hours later around 4.08 in the evening power was restored in Colombo and adjacent areas while electricity was restored to other areas a short while later. But as a consequence of the electricity breakdown, during that period traffic signals were not functioning and this state of affairs resulted in a severe traffic congestion and since a rainy atmosphere too prevailed, the traffic congestion became aggravated. Under these conditions thousands of employees had to face severe difficulties, it was understood.

Though the Electricity Board mentioned that there was an islandwide blackout because of a technical fault which resulted in lightening striking the 33000 feet voltage network system which had been transmitted to Colombo across Laxapana Hydro-power station to Upapola in Polpitiya, it also disrupted other power lines as well and the government is thinking twice as to whether it actually was the genuine reason.