Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence on Tuesday ordered the Army, the Air Force and the Navy personnel to open fire on anyone looting public property or causing harm to others amidst violent protests in the island nation over the unprecedented economic crisis.

The order came after embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa urged people to stop "violence and acts of revenge" against fellow citizens and vowed to address the political and economic crisis facing the nation. The death toll rose to eight in the unprecedented violence that erupted after supporters of then prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa attacked anti-government protesters here on Monday.

Though Mahinda Rajapaksa, 76, has quit as prime minister, this has failed to bring calm.

 Nearly 250 people have been injured in the violence in Colombo and other parts of the country. The Ministry of Defence has ordered the tri-forces to open fire on anyone looting public property or causing harm to others, the Daily Mirror newspaper quoted the Army Spokesman as saying. A curfew is in force across the island nation after mobs burned down the ancestral home belonging to the ruling Rajapaksa family amid mounting anger at the worst economic crisis.

Anti-government protesters have also set up a checkpoint on the road leading to the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo to prevent the Rajapaksa family loyalists from fleeing the country.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain in 1948.

The crisis is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency, which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel, leading to acute shortages and very high prices.

Meanwhile, anti-government protesters in Sri Lanka on Tuesday set up a checkpoint on the road leading to the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo to prevent the Rajapaksa family loyalists from fleeing the country, as violence and widespread protest continued against the regime over the country's worst economic crisis in decades.

"Large group of people have set up a checkpoint on the road leading to the Katunayake Airport. They are trying to prevent ruling faction loyalists from fleeing the country," News 1st channel reported.

The Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo is locally known as Katunayake Airport.

Mahinda, along with his wife and family, fled his official residence — Temple Trees — and took shelter at a naval base in Trincomalee — a port city on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka. Throughout the night on Monday, the police fired teargas shells to quell mobs trying to enter the Temple Trees residence.

In the early hours of Tuesday, police fired tear gas and warning shots to hold back mobs as security forces moved Mahinda and his family out of his official residence.

A protest has begun in front of the Trincomalee Naval Base after reports that Mahinda and some of his family members are there after leaving Temple Trees.

On Monday, protesters attacked the ancestral home of the Rajapaksas in Hambantota, the houses of 14 former ministers, 18 lawmakers, including former Deputy Speaker, and leaders loyal to the Rajapaksa family.

Meanwhile, the number of people injured in recent clashes has risen to 249, while 7 were killed in the same, hospital sources said.

A Spokesperson for the National Hospital stated that 232 people injured in the clashes have been admitted to the hospital for treatment so far.