Mono Caja Nacional Blackman in Sri Lanka

An unusual incident left Sri Lanka without electricity for several hours this Sunday, after a monkey collided with an electric transformer, according to the country’s energy minister Kumara Jayakody.

The incident occurred in the electrical substation of the city of Panadura, located near Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Although the substation is a local installation, the impact of the monkey on the transformer caused an imbalance in the electrical system that affected the entire island.

The national blackout began around noon (local time) and extended for several hours, until the electricity supply was restored around 5:30 pm. To solve the problem, Minister Jayakody asked the owners of solar panels on roofs to disconnect their main network systems, which helped stabilize the system.

The authorities are investigating how an incident in an electrical substation could cause a blackout of such magnitude. Although electricity cuts are common in Sri Lanka, especially during the recent economic crisis, this incident highlights the vulnerability of the country’s electrical infrastructure.

The blackout has generated various reactions in the population, who have expressed concern about the fragility of the electrical system and the need to take measures to prevent future similar incidents.