Latest update : How does Sri Lanka's President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence on Saturday

  Thousands of people had surrounded the leader's home to demand his resignation, blaming government mismanagement for a downturn that has subjected the island nation's22 million people to months of bitter hardship. 

The economic crisis has led to a heavy shortage of essentials like fuel, cooking gas and medicines, forcing people to stand in long lines to buy the limited supplies. Months of protests have nearly dismantled the Rajapaksa political dynasty that has ruled Sri Lanka for most of the past two decades. One of Rajapaksa’s brothers resigned as prime minister last month, and two other brothers and a nephew quit their Cabinet posts earlier.

 Almost all of Sri Lanka's cabinet resigns at a late-night meeting, leaving Rajapaksa and his brother Mahinda, -- the prime minister -- isolated.

 The governor of the central bank, having resisted calls to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), announces his resignation a day later.

  Sri Lanka has suffered through months of food and fuel shortages, lengthy blackouts and galloping inflation after running out of foreign currency to import vital goods.

 Sri Lanka's doctors say they are nearly out of life-saving medicines, warning that the crisis could end up killing more than the coronavirus pandemic.

 The United Nations warns that Sri Lanka is facing a dire humanitarian crisis, with millions already in need of aid.

 More than three-quarters of the population had reduced their food intake due to the country's severe food shortages, the UN says.

 Thousand of people had poured into the capital for Saturday's demonstration, the latest outbreak of unrest sparked by the crisis.

 Police had withdrawn a curfew issued on Friday after opposition parties, rights activists and the bar association threatened to sue the police chief.

 The defence ministry orders troops to shoot on sight anyone involved in looting or "causing harm to life".

 But protesters defy a fresh government curfew, which is rolled back at the end of the week.

 The top police officer in Colombo is assaulted, even his vehicle set ablaze.

 A mob of government loyalists bussed in from the countryside to attack peaceful protesters camped outside the president's seafront office in Colombo.

 The government announces it is defaulting on its foreign debt of $51 billion as a "last resort" after running out of foreign exchange to import desperately needed goods.

President Rajapaksa's problems deepen as finance minister Ali Sabry resigns just a day after he was appointed.

The embattled leader loses his parliamentary majority as former allies urge him to quit. He lifts the state of emergency.

 So as to ensure the safety of the citizens, the prime minister said he is agreeable to this recommendation by the Opposition party leaders. 

 Some crazy insident captured President Rajapaksa flees his official residence in Colombo with the assistance of troops, shortly before demonstrators storm the compound, and he is taken to an undisclosed location.

Footage from inside the residence shows jubilant protesters jumping in the pool and exploring its stately bedrooms.

Wickremesinghe took over as prime minister in May and protests temporarily waned in the hope he could find cash for the country’s urgent needs but people now want him to resign saying he has failed to fulfill his promises.