Monkey Mishap Causes Nationwide Blackout in Sri Lanka

A mysterious malfunction at a power station in Sri Lanka, reportedly caused by a monkey, led to a widespread power outage that crippled the nation. The government’s explanation sparked mixed reactions on social media.

On Sunday, Sri Lanka experienced a nationwide blackout that severely impacted businesses and essential services. The authorities claim that a monkey is to blame for the severe malfunction.

The disruption began around 10:45 AM local time and lasted for several hours. The National Electricity Board quickly worked to restore power, prioritizing medical facilities and water treatment plants, and power was fully restored by around 6:00 PM. Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody explained that a group of monkeys had wandered into the Pandora power station, located south of the capital, Colombo. During a scuffle between the monkeys, one touched a high-voltage line, causing an imbalance in the system that led to the widespread outage.

The government’s explanation sparked mixed reactions online, ranging from criticism to humor, with many questioning the state of the country’s infrastructure. Some even linked the incident to local legends about monkeys.

The Daily Mirror reported that engineers had been warning previous governments for years about the need to upgrade the electricity grid, warning that without improvements, such malfunctions would become more frequent. A senior engineer was quoted as saying that the national electricity grid is extremely fragile, and even a minor disruption can cause widespread power outages. The Ministry of Energy issued an apology for the inconvenience caused to the country’s 23 million residents.