What is happening in Sri Lanka and why did President Gotabaya Rajapaksa flee?

The president landed in the Maldives after escaping with his wife and two bodyguards

Security personnel stand guard after a raid on an anti-government protest camp in Colombo early on Friday, amid Sri Lanka's economic crisis. Reuters

Anti-government protesters speak with members of Sri Lankan security forces. AFP

A policeman walks past slogans against the newly elected Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickramasinghe in Colombo. AFP

Ranil Wickremesinghe is sworn in as the new president of Sri Lanka by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya. Reuters

Mr Wickremesinghe, centre, arrives at his swearing-in ceremony in Colombo. EPA

Ranil Wickremesinghe leaves a Buddhist temple in Colombo after he was named as Sri Lanka's eighth executive president. Reuters

Sri Lankans protest after Mr Wickremesinghe defeated Dullas Alahapperuma, a member of the breakaway faction of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna party, by 134 votes to 82 in a parliamentary vote to pick the next president. Getty

Dinesh Gunawardena, centre, leader of the House of Parliament, arrives at Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo. Getty

Soldiers stand guard at the Presidential Secretariat after Mr Wickremesinghe was announced as Sri Lanka's new president. Getty

Protesters watch a live broadcast of the parliamentary vote to pick Sri Lanka's new president. EPA

A screen grab of Mr Wickremesinghe, bottom left, during the vote count announcement in Sri Lanka's Parliament. AFP

Mr Alahapperuma, bottom right, during the parliamentary vote in Colombo. AFP

A supporter celebrates in Colombo after Mr Wickremesinghe was elected as president. Reuters

Mr Wickremesinghe's supporters celebrate in the capital after his election as Sri Lankan president. Getty

Sri Lankans protest after the announcement of Mr Wickremesinghe as president. Getty

Demonstrators watch a public screen as voting begins in Sri Lanka's Parliament. Reuters

Protesters in Colombo demand Mr Wickremesinghe's resignation as prime minister and acting president before the parliamentary vote. AP

Demonstrators carry an effigy of Mr Wickremesinghe. AFP

Demonstrators take part in a procession against Mr Wickremesinghe. AFP

Demonstrators shout slogans. AFP

Sri Lankan demonstrators take part in a celebration in Colombo to mark the 100th day of protests. AFP

After months of street protests, Sri Lanka’s parliament will elect a new president to replace Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday. AFP

The country faces its worst economic crisis in decades due to the lack of foreign reserves, resulting in severe shortages of food, fuel, medicines and imported goods. Getty

Soldiers lower the national flag at Galle Face Green in Colombo. Getty

A demonstrator writes a slogan against acting president Ranil Wickremesinghe. AFP

Mr Wickremesinghe is a top contender in the race to succeed Mr Rajapaksa. AFP

People light candles in the capital in memory of protesters killed or wounded since the demonstrations began. EPA

Police officers stand guard outside Parliament in Colombo. Reuters

The vandalised office of the Sri Lankan president inside his official residence in the capital. Getty

Police officials gather evidence at the president’s official residence after it was overrun by anti-government protesters on July 9. AFP

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, right, is sworn in as acting president by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya in Colombo. EPA

Parliamentary Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena addresses the media in Colombo. AFP

People dance in Colombo as they celebrate the resignation of Mr Rajapaksa amid the country’s economic crisis. Reuters

Demonstrators cheer after hearing news that Mr Rajapaksa had emailed his letter of resignation after fleeing months of anti-government protests. Bloomberg

Members of the media wait outside the VIP complex of Changi International Airport in Singapore for the arrival of Mr Rajapaksa, his wife and two bodyguards. Sri Lanka's president left the Maldives on July 14 aboard a Saudia Airlines plane bound for Singapore. AFP

A Saudia Airlines plane believed to be carrying Mr Rajapaksa arrives on the tarmac at Changi Airport in Singapore. EPA

Police officers walk outside Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office, a day after thousands of anti-government protesters stormed the building, when he was named acting president. AFP

A Saudia airline Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for Singapore and carrying Sri Lanka's fleeing president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his wife and bodyguards prepares to take off at the Velana International airport, in the Maldives. AFP

Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard near the parliament building in Colombo, a day after thousands of anti-government protesters stormed the prime minister's office. AFP

A soldier walks past a demonstrator sitting in a meeting room, at the prime minister's offices. AFP

Soldiers patrol the buildings of the prime minister's office. AFP

Troops make their way to an anti-government protest at the prime minister's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Bloomberg

Demonstrators takes pictures inside the complex housing the Sri Lankan prime minister's offices. AFP

An injured protester lies in an ambulance after clashes with police near parliament in Colombo. AP

People wait to enter the presidential palace in Colombo, Sri Lanka. AP

Protesters in Colombo hold Sri Lankan flags as they stand on top of the office of acting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, amid the country's economic crisis. Reuters

Protesters demand the resignation of Mr Wickremasinghe. Bloomberg

Police officers stand guard in Colombo. Reuters

Police fire tear gas to control the crowds. Reuters

A protester pours water on a man as tensions soar. Reuters

Protesters throw teargas shells. AP Photo

Protesters storm Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka and demand his resignation, after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the economic and political crisis for the Maldives. AP

Police use tear gas to disperse Sri Lankan protesters outside the prime minister's office. AP

A protester sleeps on vandalised furniture inside the presidential palace in Colombo, which has been occupied by demonstrators for days. Getty Images

A satellite image shows people gathered outside Sri Lanka's Parliament building in Colombo amid the country's economic and political crisis. AFP

Youths play carrom inside the Sri Lankan prime minister's official residence, which was stormed by protesters at the weekend. Reuters

People sit on a couch inside the prime minister's official residence. The protests against the government have simmered since May, but erupted again last Saturday. Reuters

Army cadets march past people queuing to get inside Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's official residence in Colombo. AFP

People visit Mr Rajapaksa's official residence in Colombo. It was reported on Wednesday that he had fled the country for the Maldives. AFP

A man takes a selfie at the presidential palace. AP

Sri Lankans line up to take a look inside the presidential palace in Colombo. EPA

Crowds flock to take in the presidential palace. EPA

A man takes a rest inside the prime minister's official residence in Colombo. EPA

People sing songs inside the prime minister's official residence. EPA

Protesters erect a banner on the presidential palace three days after it was stormed by anti-government demonstrators in Colombo. AP

People wait in a queue to collect gas at a distribution point in Colombo. AFP

Sri Lankans quarrel as they wait for gas at a distribution point. AFP

A driver of an autorickshaw sleeps inside his vehicle while waiting in a queue to buy petrol at a fuel station in Colombo. AP

Sri Lankan parliament members will elect a new president within a week, the speaker said, after he confirmed leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa had officially resigned.

The resignation, which was emailed from Singapore where Mr Rajapaksa, his wife Ioma and their two bodyguards landed on Thursday, has been accepted, speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana was cited by AFP as saying.

The opposition parties are attempting to put together an all-party government and pick candidates who can take over from Mr Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Unforgettable scenes

Last week the world saw unforgettable scenes, as tens of thousands of Sri Lankan protesters took to the streets in anger over the state of their country.

Their frustration over the country's devastating economic crisis was directed at the country’s political elite.

Demonstrators called for the resignation of both Mr Rajapaksa and Mr Wickremesinghe.

But the protests themselves aren’t new, with the latest wave having started more than 100 days ago. But the most recent unrest persuaded the president and the prime minister to announce they were willing to step down.

Why is Sri Lanka in crisis?

Sri Lanka, with its lush greenery and natural landscapes, is a prime tourist destination.

But during the pandemic, that source of revenue took a big hit as people remained locked indoors and travel was restricted.

Then, remittances from Sri Lankans living abroad began to wane.

Moves by Mr Rajapaksa to introduce tax cuts also hit government finances, affecting imports of fuel, food and medicines.

Lengthy power cuts became frequent and acute food and fuel shortages began to take their toll.

Long queues started forming at shops selling cooking gas and inflation hit almost 55 per cent in June.

All the while, people on the island of 22 million, grew angry and blamed the country’s leaders for the financial turmoil.

The final straw came last month, when the government said it had almost run out of fuel and stopped all sale of petrol except for “essential services”.

Soon after, protesters stormed the president’s home in Colombo and other key government buildings.

A lumberjack chops trees to feed the rising demand for firewood in Nehinna, Sri Lanka. All photos by AFP

A once relatively wealthy Sri Lanka is in the midst of a dire economic crisis.

People are dealing with major gas shortages.

Locals are being forced to return to cooking with firewood.

This man uses firewood to cook food at a hotel in Colombo.

Not only is there a shortage of gas in the country, there is also a lack of medical supplies.

A man uses a charcoal cooker at home.

Who is president Gotabaya Rajapaksa?

The eighth president of Sri Lanka, Mr Rajapaksa, 73, has a military background and took office only in 2019.

He was a dual US citizen up until he became president.

Mr Rajapaksa ran his campaign based on a nationalistic agenda, with economic and security developments at the fore.

Assisting his win, perhaps, was his relative lack of a political career, making him Sri Lanka’s first president with a military background.

However, Mr Rajapaksa‘s family is no stranger to politics with a father who served as MP and Cabinet Minister of Agriculture and Land.

Gotabaya's brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, served as president between 2005 and 20015 .

After assuming office in 2019, some of Gotabaya's first moves as president included consolidation of power and appointing his brother Mahinda as prime minister.

During his short stint, the country declared bankruptcy, defaulting on its debts for the first time since it gained independence in 1948.

Why is he fleeing?

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the country on Wednesday, with his wife and two security officials on board a military aircraft in the early hours of Wednesday, the Sri Lanka Air Force said.

His escape came hours before Mr Rajapaksa was due to hand in his resignation. The Ministry of Defence said the couple were headed to the Maldives.

A large crowd of protesters stormed his residence, so it is likely that the president feared for his safety, which is why he fled.

What happens next?

If the president does step down, the parliament would be responsible for electing a temporary leader.

The constitution and Presidential Elections Act of 1981 stipulate that that person should be a member of parliament and that a vote must take place within a month from the date that the post of president was vacated, constitutional lawyer Gehan Gunatilleke wrote in the Himal Southasian magazine.

“Once the president resigns, Parliament must be summoned to meet within three days of the vacancy,” Mr Gunatilleke said.

”When Parliament meets, the secretary general must fix a deadline to receive nominations for the office of president. The deadline for nominations must be a date not earlier than four hours and not later than seven days from Parliament’s initial meeting.”

After a vote, the new president would serve what ever remains from the current presidential term, which in the case of president Rajapaksa, ends in 2024.