Colombo: A monkey's intrusion at a Sri Lankan electrical substation triggered a nationwide power outage on Sunday, government officials said.  

The blackout began around 11:30 a.m. (0600 GMT) and remained partially unresolved after three hours.  

"A monkey has come in contact with our grid transformer, causing an imbalance in the system," Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody told reporters. The incident occurred in a southern Colombo suburb.  

While electricity was restored in some areas, officials did not immediately confirm when full power would return.  

"Engineers are attending to it to try and restore the service as soon as possible," Jayakody said.  

Sri Lanka previously faced months-long power cuts in 2022 during an economic crisis, when fuel shortages forced authorities to ration electricity for up to 13 hours a day.