Sharjah24 - Reuters: Sri Lanka's acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe has declared a state of emergency, according to a government notice released late on Sunday, as his administration seeks to quell social unrest and tackle an economic crisis gripping the island nation.

Sri Lanka's beleaguered leaders have issued imposed a state of emergency several times since April, when public protests took hold against the government's handling of a deepening economic and a persistent shortage of essentials.

"It is expedient, so to do, in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community," the notification stated.

Wickremesinghe had announced a state of emergency last week, after president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country to escape a popular uprising against his government.

It was unclear whether that order been withdrawn or had lapsed, or whether Wickremesinghe had reissued the order in his capacity as acting president, having been sworn in on July 15. A spokesman for Wickremesinghe's office did not respond to Reuters request for comment.