Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has called an emergency meeting with party leaders after protesters stormed the president's residence in the commercial capital Colombo amid growing anger over the government's handling of an economic crisis.

He has also requested that the speaker summons parliament, a statement from the prime minister's office said.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has told PM Ranil Wickremesinghe that he will respect any decision taken at the party leaders' meeting, according to the prime minister's office.

According to an AFP report earlier, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence in Colombo on Saturday before protesters gathered to demand his resignation and stormed the compound.

Some local media outlets said the president had already left the capital. 

Sri Lankan media outlet Ada Derana also reported that at least 31 people, including police officers, were injured as police forces used tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters on the streets of Colombo.

Among the injured, two are in critical condition. 

Sri Lanka is living through the worst economic crisis since its independence in 1948, struggling with shortages in fuel, medicines, food, gas and other essentials. 

Many blame the country's decline on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Largely peaceful protests since March have demanded his resignation.

Discontent has worsened in recent weeks as the cash-strapped country stopped receiving fuel shipments, forcing school closures and rationing of petrol and diesel for essential services.

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(With input from agencies)