Sri Lanka crisis: Protesters storm into prime minister's office

Protesters have breached the gates to the prime minister's office in Colombo and are now flooding into the grounds.

The grounds are now completely overrun with joyous protesters, with crowds climbing on anything and everything they are able to get their hands on, according to BBC reporter Tessa Wong, who is at the scene.

Media reports have confirmed that Ranil Wickremesinghe was not in the office at the time and so not in immediate danger

BBC's report says many are standing on balconies screaming with jubilation, after an hours-long standoff with armed police officers outside the gates of the compound.

Demonstrators there were seen taking selfies, chanting "Ranil lunatic, Gota lunatic" while banging drums and screaming.

On the second-floor balcony, just above a sign saying "Prime Minister's Office", a crowd of protesters are holding the Sri Lankan flag aloft. As someone lit a flare above the balcony. The crowd erupted in cheers.

They are delirious with glee, managing to rip the gates open and push through a wall of soldiers - all while enduring hours of teargas.

Wickremesinghe - an ally of the Rajapaksas - is also highly unpopular among the public - who have been calling for both leaders to go. 

He has been in hiding the last few days, since protesters burnt down his residential home (he and his family were not there at the time). Despite his location being unknown, he has still been issuing several orders through his office - including declaring a state of emergency and curfew orders.