LSN News › Sri Lanka

World · Sri Lanka Bureau

Power cuts leave multiple Colombo suburbs without electricity

A widespread power outage has disrupted supply across several suburbs in the Colombo District, affecting thousands of residents and businesses on Wednesday. The unexpected blackout struck multiple residential and commercial areas simultaneously.

LSN Sri Lanka · 17 October 2026

Power cuts leave multiple Colombo suburbs without electricity

An unplanned power failure impacted several densely populated areas across the Western Province's Colombo District on Wednesday, leaving residents and businesses without electricity during peak hours. The outage was reported across Borella, Rajagiriya, Battaramulla, Pelawatte, Kotte, Maharagama and Nugegoda, disrupting daily activities across the metropolitan region.

The sudden nature of the blackout caught commuters and commercial establishments off guard, with the affected zones encompassing both residential neighbourhoods and business districts. Traffic flow was impacted in several locations as traffic signals ceased functioning, while hospitals, offices and shops operating on grid electricity faced immediate challenges.

The Ceylon Electricity Board has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the cause of the outage or the expected restoration timeline. Authorities are reportedly investigating the incident to determine whether the failure stemmed from infrastructure malfunction or other technical issues within the distribution network.

This marks another significant power disruption in the Colombo area amid ongoing concerns over the country's electricity supply reliability. Residents have been advised to exercise caution during the outage period, particularly those dependent on electrically-powered medical equipment.