<p>Two men died in cash-strapped Sri Lanka on Friday while waiting in serpentine queues to purchase fuel as widespread shortages and soaring inflation levels continue to heap misery on citizens.</p>.<p>The two deaths were reported on a day when newly-elected President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday appointed Dinesh Gunawardena as the Prime Minister in a bid to restore political stability and mitigate the worst economic crisis that has virtually bankrupted the island nation.</p>.<p>The 59-year-old man had left his motorcycle for over two nights near a filling station in Kinniya, a town located in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, collapsed on Friday, according to news portal Lanka First.</p>.<p>The victim’s body was shifted to the Kinniya Base Hospital for post-mortem examination, it said.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/sri-lanka-ranil-is-the-best-man-for-the-tough-job-1129035.html" target="_blank">Sri Lanka: Ranil is the best man for the tough job</a></strong></p>.<p>A 70-year-old man also died after collapsing while waiting in line for fuel at a filling station in Mathugama, in the country’s Western Province.</p>.<p>Fuel was delivered to the filling station after 10 days, and there was a rush to obtain fuel due to the absence of a proper system of distribution, the report said.</p>.<p>The man collapsed during the rush and was admitted to the Meegahatenna Regional Hospital where he was ruled dead upon admission, it added.</p>.<p>This is not the first time that a person has died while waiting for fuel in Sri Lanka.</p>.<p>Similar incidents have been reported since the beginning of 2022, with some even dying of exhaustion brought about by severe heat.</p>.<p>Last week, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera introduced a National Fuel Pass for the citizens to obtain fuel through regularising distribution, according to news portal Economy Next.</p>.<p>The new fuel pass will allow each motorist to obtain a minimum quantity of fuel on a weekly basis, Wijesekera said.</p>.<p>Despite these measures, filling stations are going dry and frequent clashes are being witnessed near filling stations across the country.</p>.<p>Sri Lanka received the first of three fuel shipments last week, Wijesekera said, the first shipments to reach the country in about three weeks.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s inflation firmed up in June as the country’s broader measure of consumer prices jumped by 59 per cent from a year ago, accelerating from 45.3 per cent in May, according to the country’s National Consumer Price Index.</p>.<p>Sri Lanka’s newly-elected President Ranil Wickremesinghe, has been leading crucial talks with the International Monetary Fund, last week said that negotiations were nearing conclusion.</p>.<p>Sri Lanka needs about USD 5 billion in the next six months to cover basic necessities for its 22 million people, who have been struggling with long queues, worsening shortages and power cuts.</p>
<p>Two men died in cash-strapped Sri Lanka on Friday while waiting in serpentine queues to purchase fuel as widespread shortages and soaring inflation levels continue to heap misery on citizens.</p>.<p>The two deaths were reported on a day when newly-elected President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday appointed Dinesh Gunawardena as the Prime Minister in a bid to restore political stability and mitigate the worst economic crisis that has virtually bankrupted the island nation.</p>.<p>The 59-year-old man had left his motorcycle for over two nights near a filling station in Kinniya, a town located in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, collapsed on Friday, according to news portal Lanka First.</p>.<p>The victim’s body was shifted to the Kinniya Base Hospital for post-mortem examination, it said.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/sri-lanka-ranil-is-the-best-man-for-the-tough-job-1129035.html" target="_blank">Sri Lanka: Ranil is the best man for the tough job</a></strong></p>.<p>A 70-year-old man also died after collapsing while waiting in line for fuel at a filling station in Mathugama, in the country’s Western Province.</p>.<p>Fuel was delivered to the filling station after 10 days, and there was a rush to obtain fuel due to the absence of a proper system of distribution, the report said.</p>.<p>The man collapsed during the rush and was admitted to the Meegahatenna Regional Hospital where he was ruled dead upon admission, it added.</p>.<p>This is not the first time that a person has died while waiting for fuel in Sri Lanka.</p>.<p>Similar incidents have been reported since the beginning of 2022, with some even dying of exhaustion brought about by severe heat.</p>.<p>Last week, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera introduced a National Fuel Pass for the citizens to obtain fuel through regularising distribution, according to news portal Economy Next.</p>.<p>The new fuel pass will allow each motorist to obtain a minimum quantity of fuel on a weekly basis, Wijesekera said.</p>.<p>Despite these measures, filling stations are going dry and frequent clashes are being witnessed near filling stations across the country.</p>.<p>Sri Lanka received the first of three fuel shipments last week, Wijesekera said, the first shipments to reach the country in about three weeks.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s inflation firmed up in June as the country’s broader measure of consumer prices jumped by 59 per cent from a year ago, accelerating from 45.3 per cent in May, according to the country’s National Consumer Price Index.</p>.<p>Sri Lanka’s newly-elected President Ranil Wickremesinghe, has been leading crucial talks with the International Monetary Fund, last week said that negotiations were nearing conclusion.</p>.<p>Sri Lanka needs about USD 5 billion in the next six months to cover basic necessities for its 22 million people, who have been struggling with long queues, worsening shortages and power cuts.</p>