A severe fuel shortage has hit Ethiopia resulting in long queues at petrol stations in Addis Ababa and other major cities.
Many petrol stations ran out of fuel and motorists have been forced to queue for long hours at fuel stations that have the supplies since Friday.
Eshete Asfaw, State minister of Trade said the shortage was caused by road blockade in the Afar region for one day.
The blockade occurred along the main road linking Ethiopia and Djibouti.
Ethiopia imports most of its goods via the port in Djibouti.
Eshete did not comment on why the road was blocked and if it was opened until late Monday.
He said the problem is easing as dozens of fuel transporting trucks which got away from the blockade were arriving in Addis Ababa.
A heightened police presence was reported near petrol stations in the capital Addis Ababa as long lines of motorists waited to fill up their cars’ fuel tanks.
MG/as/APA