Colombo, April 21 : At least 138 people were killed and more than 400 injured when a string of suicide bombings rocked luxury hotels and churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday in the island’s bloodiest day since the end of the civil war, media reports said.
The deadly explosions rocked at least three luxury hotels and a church each in Colombo, in Katana, some 50 km north of the capital, and in the eastern province of Batticaloa around 8.45 a.m. when hundreds were gathered to celebrate Easter.
The state-run Daily News newspaper put the fatalities at 138 and said at least 402 were injured. Many of the injured were said to be in serious condition. But other news outlets gave varying casualty figures, ranging from 70 to 100.
Minister of Economic Reforms Harsha de Silva, who visited a few of the attack sites, described the carnage.
“Horrible scenes. I saw many body parts strewn all over. Emergency crews are at all locations in full force. (…) We took multiple casualties to hospital. Hopefully saved many lives,” Efe news quoted the Minister as saying.
Images circulated in local media showed the magnitude of the explosion in at least one of the churches, where the ceiling had been partially destroyed, and corpses were strewn around among the rubble, Efe reported.
Rescuers desperately looked for survivors.
The Minister said that some of the casualties were foreigners.
President Maithripala Sirisena, in a special message which was read out on local news channels, urged the public to remain calm and cooperate with the authorities to conduct swift investigations into the blasts, reported Xinhua news agency.
“I am shocked and saddened by the situation that has occurred. Investigations have been launched to look into what conspiracy is behind these heinous acts. Please remain calm and do not be fooled by rumours,” Sirisena said.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Christians in Sri Lanka had been celebrating the Easter Sunday, an important festival marking the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the culmination of week-long festivities.
Christians form around 7 per cent of the Sri Lankan population, with the Buddhists accounting for around 70 per cent, followed by Hindus and Muslims.
Sri Lanka’s dragging civil war involving the government and the Tamil Tigers ended in May 2009, leading to a decade of peace.(IANS)
Religion of piece.. now Australian PM will learn how to deal with Islamic extremists…
Hate Bhakt group of lPublic lynchers and musjid razers. What if it was a Sanghi plan to create hatred in neighbourhood collaborating with extremists and politicians on both sides?
Is it Australian or New Zealand pm?.
Please U vote for BJP we do not have any issue.
Have some limit.express ur condolence first.
Utterly Shameful and disgusting!
May all Christian devotees and martyrs rest in peace!
May Almighty God give solace and courage to the families of the victims.
Culprits of hate and their evil masterminds need to be identified and punished appropriately;
terrorism has no religion except their hatred for all Humanity and brotherhood….😢😢😢
This terror attack has killed around 250 & still Muslim mirror is deliberately not giving enough coverage to this important news because muslim terrorists were involved. We expect to publish series of news on its updates…
Dear, Muslim Mirror was amongst first to publish and condemn this extremist terror act, and console the loss of our Christian brethren who were praying in Churches.
What about your hate brigade IT cell bhakts, you are still smirking !
Before 2014, there used to be bomb blast in most of Indian cities. Modiji adopted zero tolerance policy against Islamic terrorism and hence no bomb blast in 5 years. Also terrorism in J&K is in last phase.
Sri Lanka should learn from Modi.
This Islamic terrorism is a world’s cancer. These so called peaceful people are threat to humanity and hence must be dealt with zero tolerance only.
You half baked people are more dangerous to the society than Hindu right wing who openly declare them as “Hindu terrorist”.
Correction “themself”