President Maithripala Sirisena was speaking at an award ceremony at the North Western Provincial Council auditorium in Kurunegala when the area lost power.

The generators also failed to work, forcing the organizers to carry on with the event in darkness.

Awards were distributed with the aid of torch lights.

This incident occurred despite repeated assurances by the CEB that power will not be cut in the country.

The whole country lost power for several hours on March 13 due to an island-wide blackout. On March 18, the CEB claimed to have restored the supply. However, daily unannounced power cuts have been taking place since then.