Sri Lanka: Youth fleeing country as economy slumps

New Delhi: The economic crisis in Sri Lanka has triggered a mass exodus of youth from the country with as many as 2,000 people visiting Immigration and Emigration Department office in Battaramulla daily to obtain their passports, according to a report in The Morning. With lack of opportunities in the country amidst the ongoing crisis the youth are concerned about their future and are applying for jobs overseas. Emphasising on the fact that the times have changed, 22-year-old Thisara Randam said that what people could do with Rs 1000 earlier and what they can do now is completely different. ”There is a difference between the food we used to eat before and what we eat now. For Rs. 1,000, what you could do before and now are so different. We are still dependent on our parents. We are angry about this economic crisis. We are so frustrated. Before, if we had Rs. 5,000, we could live for two weeks, but now we cannot do it," The Morning  quoted him as saying. Software engineer Manoj Randunu said that is all about survival now. “Most people are trying to migrate so that they can take care of their families. If I go abroad, I will not be able to take my family abroad at once but I can send money to my family so that they can survive,” the report quoted him as saying. Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in seven decades, with a severe foreign exchange shortage hampering the import of essentials including food, fuel and medicines. The island nation needs about $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. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 73, who fled to the Maldives on Wednesday and then landed in Singapore on Thursday, formally resigned on Friday, capping off a chaotic 72 hours in the crisis-hit nation that saw protesters storm many iconic buildings, including the President and the Prime Minister’s residences. The protesters have vowed to continue their struggle for a complete change of the system by abolishing the presidency, as the popular uprising, that ousted Rajapaksa as president, marked the 100th day on Sunday. The anti-government protest began on 9 April near the presidential office and has been continuing without a break. With input from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.