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Sri Lankans rush to obtain passports in bid to flee crisis

02:14

Sri Lanka: Huge queues form as people try to obtain passports to leave

People in Sri Lanka have been scrambling to obtain passports in an attempt to flee the country, which has been gripped by protests for weeks.

After months of economic turmoil, Sri Lanka is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout. However, many still wish to leave.

Thousands of people have been lining up outside Colombo's emigration office to submit money and papers to obtain travel documents.

"I felt like I need to go abroad, with the situation here it is difficult to live," Madhishanita, a passport applicant, said.

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