Easter blasts target Sri Lankan churches, hotels
AUSTRALIANS in Sri Lanka have told of their shock after string of blasts killed at least 156 people, including 35 foreigners, at three churches and three high-end hotels frequented by western tourists.
More than 400 others were wounded in the Easter Sunday bombings, according to Sri Lanka’s national hospital spokesman.
They all occurred roughly simultaneously, around 8.45am local time (1.15pm AEDT time) yesterday, authorities said.
The injured included foreigners staying at the three five-star hotels – the Cinnamon Grand, Kingsbury and the Shangri-La, located in the heart of Colombo.
Australian woman Megan Anderson said heavily armed guards flooded her accommodation nearby in Colombo, the Galle Face Hotel, shortly after the blasts.
“All Aussies here are a little frightened,” she said. “There are now armed guards in the hotel foyer and sniffer dogs going through all cars as they come into the hotel.”
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade could not confirm whether Australians had been affected.
The churches targeted were St Anthony’s in Colombo, St Sebastian’s in Negombo, a Catholic majority town 30km from the capital, and Zion Church in Batticaloa, 250km east of the capital.