Thousands of protestors in Sri Lanka's commercial capital Colombo stormed the president's official residence and his secretariat on Saturday amid months of mounting public anger over the country's worst economic crisis in seven decades.

A Facebook livestream from inside the president's house showed hundreds of protestors, some draped in flags, packing into rooms and corridors, shouting slogan's against Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. 

Two Defense Ministry sources told Reuters that Rajapaksa was removed from the official residence on Friday for his safety ahead of the planned rally over the weekend.

"The president was escorted to safety," a top defense source told AFP on condition of anonymity. "He is still the president, he is being protected by a military unit."

"We are awaiting instructions," a top civil servant added. "We still don't know where he is, but we know he is with the Sri Lanka navy and is safe."

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday called an emergency meeting of party leaders to discuss the situation and come to a swift resolution, his office said in a statement.

He has also requested that the speaker summons parliament, the statement said. Wickremesinghe has also been moved to a secure location, a government source told agencies.

At least 39 people, including two police were injured and hospitalized in the protests, hospital sources told Reuters.

(With input from agencies)

(Cover: A demonstrator throws back a tear gas grenade towards police members as police use tear gas and water cannon to disperse demonstrators near the president's residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 9, 2022. /Reuters)