Sri Lanka has declared every Wednesday a public holiday to conserve fuel, as the island nation braces for possible shortages following the US–Israel conflict with Iran.
“We must prepare for the worst, but hope for the best,” President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said during an emergency meeting on Monday.
The move is part of wider austerity measures across Asia after disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route that previously carried millions of barrels of oil to the region.
Last year, nearly 90% of the oil and gas passing through the strait was destined for Asia, the world’s largest oil-importing region.
