At least 137 Dead and 300 Injured In Multiple Blasts In Sri Lanka’s Churches and Hotels
According To Police Sources, At least 137 People Have Been Killed And Hundreds Injured After Explosions In Three Hotels And Three Churches In And Around The Capital Of Sri Lanka, Colombo. The Dead Includes Nine Foreigners.
- At least 137 people have been killed in Sri Lanka after the explosion in churches and hotels.
- Around 300 people had been admitted.
- The Sri Lankan Prime Minister censured the attack and has requested the citizens to stay united and strong.
- The first explosion was reported at St Anthony’s Church in Colombo, and other was at St. Sebastian’s Church at Katuwapitiya, Negombo.
The Sri Lankan Police told news agency AFP that the blasts hit numerous high-end hotels and a church located in Colombo. On the other side, the two other churches were targeted outside the capital city during Easter Ma s s.
The explosion happed at around 8:45 am local time, and there was no immediate clear. Likewise, there were no quick claims of responsibility.
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister censured the attack and has requested the citizens to stay united and strong during such a tragic moment. He tweeted:
I strongly condemn the cowardly attacks on our people today. I call upon all Sri Lankans during this tragic time to remain united and strong. Please avoid propagating unverified reports and speculation. The government is taking immediate steps to contain this situation.
The Sri Lankan government called an emergency meeting in a few minutes. Harsha de Silva, the Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution said in a tweet that rescue operations are underway.
The President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena was shocked by the explosions and appealed for calm.
The first explosion was reported at St Anthony’s Church in Colombo, and other was at St. Sebastian’s Church at Katuwapitiya, Negombo.
Soon after the initial reports of an explosion in the churches, the police confirmed four other blasts. The third explosion was in a church in the town of Batticaloa whereas the other three of those were at hotels.
The blasts hit the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, the Shangri-La, and the Kingsbury in Colombo.
Batticaloa hospital’s officials told AFP that more than 300 people had been admitted to the hospital with injuries following the blast.