Sri Lanka has been witnessing mass protests for the past several days as people demanded for his resignation and even agitated against the economic crisis which has disrupted normal life in the island nation.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country for the Maldives early on Wednesday morning, along with his wife and two security officers amid mass scale protests against him, reports Sri Lankan newspaper Daily Mirror.

Rajpaksa landed at the Velena International Airport in the Maldives at 3.07 am on Wednesday and the Maldives capital was under heavy security at that time, sources confirmed to Daily Mirror.

Sources said that President Mohammed Nasheed had requested President Ibrahim Solih for the Rajapaksas to land in Maldives and clearance was received.

Rajapaksa is expected to be in the Maldives on transit before flying to another destination which is yet to be known, reports the newspaper.

His brother, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, has also left the country, sources have told the BBC. He is said to be heading to the US.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa had fled the President's House shortly after thousands of protesters stormed into his residence on July 9.

The President had signed his resignation letter and the Speaker of the Parliament was due to announce it on Wednesday.

On Tuesday evening, thousands of people reached Galle Face Green, the main protest site in the capital city, Colombo, awaiting the President's resignation.
The people woke up in the morning listening to the news of president's departure from Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankans had blamed the President's administration for the country's worst economic crisis.