The economic crisis in Sri Lanka has taken a turn for the worse.

Colombo saw a protest late this evening, where more than 500 people held a protest march and clashed with the police. Gathered outside the house of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the protesters waved posters and shouted slogans, according to ndtv.com.

The trouble started when the police attempted to disperse them. The mob threw bottles and stones at the police and the crowd could be controlled only with batons and water cannons.

There has been a critical rise in the costs of food and essential items, shortage of fuel and gas, as the country grappled with the worst economic downturn since its independence.

This evening, diesel was no longer available, leaving the country's 22 million people in power blackouts and keeping transport off the roads.