COLOMBO: The city of Colombo will be plunged into darkness at short notice on the orders of the Defence Ministry in a series of tough new security measures to combat air attacks by the Tiger guerrillas, officials said on Monday.

Top on the list is a compulsory requirement that no back-up power plants is to be utilised to generate electricity when the Ceylon Electricity Board switches off supply.

The new security regulations come amidst heavy pressure on the Sri Lankan government to neutralise the growing aerial threat by the Tamil Tiger guerrillas who bombed two oil refineries in Colombo in the early hours of Sunday.

In a bid to combat the LTTE’s airpower authorities say the public, especially hotels in the country are being warned that total blackouts by the Electricity Board would follow any possible air attacks.

“They are being told that stand-by power generators should not be used until the power is restored”, a government official said.