Sri Lanka Rupee Converter
- At least 7 blasts at churches and hotels
- Mother and son among five Britons killed in explosions
- Churches were full of people attending Easter services
- Suicide bombers 'behind at least two of the attacks'
- Death toll rising rapidly, hospitals overcome with injured
- Eight suspects arrested
Two further blasts occurred hours later at a smaller Colombo hotel and in a residential area where seven arrests were made in connection with the worst violence on the South Asia island since the end of its decades-long civil war in 2009.
The authorities, who imposed a 12-hour curfew on the Indian Ocean island, have not said who staged the attacks and nobody has claimed responsibility.
Speaking to reporters, Ranil Wickremesinghe, the prime minister said that the suspects names had been “local” but he added that investigators were probing whether the attackers had any “overseas links.”
The Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand hotels, popular with foreign tourists, were targetted as guests sat down to enjoy their Sunday breakfast.
In a
chilling detail, a manager at the Cinnamon Grand said the attacker
waiting patiently in a queue for the Easter Sunday breakfast buffet at
the Taprobane restaurant before setting off explosives strapped to his
back.
The man, who had checked in the night before, was carrying a plate
and was about to be served when he unleashed his devastating bomb.
"There was utter chaos," the manager told AFP. “It was 8:30 am and it was busy. It was families," he said. "One of our managers who was welcoming guests was among those killed instantly."
As details of the horror emerged, local celebrity TV chef Shantha Mayadunne and her London-based daughter Nisanga were among the first victims named.
Nisanga had posted a selfie of their happy group just minutes before the deadly blast, captioning it: “Easter breakfast with my family.”
Most of several dozen foreign victims, including Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Indian, Chinese and Turkish, were believed to have been killed at the hotels.
The Sri Lankan foreign ministry said 25 unidentified people believed to be foreigners had been brought to the Colombo judicial medical officer’s mortuary and that 19 foreign nationals had been hospitalised.
"There was utter chaos," the manager told AFP. “It was 8:30 am and it was busy. It was families," he said. "One of our managers who was welcoming guests was among those killed instantly."
As details of the horror emerged, local celebrity TV chef Shantha Mayadunne and her London-based daughter Nisanga were among the first victims named.
Nisanga had posted a selfie of their happy group just minutes before the deadly blast, captioning it: “Easter breakfast with my family.”
Most of several dozen foreign victims, including Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Indian, Chinese and Turkish, were believed to have been killed at the hotels.
The Sri Lankan foreign ministry said 25 unidentified people believed to be foreigners had been brought to the Colombo judicial medical officer’s mortuary and that 19 foreign nationals had been hospitalised.
James
Dauris, Britain’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, confirmed that British
citizens were caught up in the blast but he did not release further
details.
“I've been speaking this afternoon with Brits in hospital who have been affected by today's senseless attacks. My team's and my thoughts go out to all those people who are suffering as a result of the deplorable violence Sri Lanka has witnessed this Easter Sunday,” he said.
The government ordered a social media blackout in Sri Lanka to prevent public panic from false rumours, but it also hampered efforts by friends and family to make contact with loved ones.
A doctor at the Lady Ridgeway Children hospital in Colombo told the Telegraph that a number of children had arrived alone.
“People have brought children who were injured…we are waiting for the parents to come,” he said
Nalini Somalatha, said she was struggling to find news of her son Nalin, 25, who had gone to church with his Christian girlfriend.
“I heard about the blasts and I called my son.. but there was no response,” said the desperate mother who later found out that Nalin’s girlfriend had died.
Before the blackout, harrowing images had emerged from the aftermath of powerful bombs that blasted through the packed pews of St Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo, the Zion Church in the eastern city of Batticaloa, and St Sebastian’s in Negombo, a city about 20 miles north of the capital.
The explosions were so powerful that they blew out roof tiles, splintered wood and smashed altars and religious icons.
Photos posted to social media in an appeal for help showed lifeless bodies strewn across the rubble. At St Anthony’s, where at least 160 parishioners were injured, eyewitnesses described a “river of blood” among the debris.
“I've been speaking this afternoon with Brits in hospital who have been affected by today's senseless attacks. My team's and my thoughts go out to all those people who are suffering as a result of the deplorable violence Sri Lanka has witnessed this Easter Sunday,” he said.
The government ordered a social media blackout in Sri Lanka to prevent public panic from false rumours, but it also hampered efforts by friends and family to make contact with loved ones.
A doctor at the Lady Ridgeway Children hospital in Colombo told the Telegraph that a number of children had arrived alone.
“People have brought children who were injured…we are waiting for the parents to come,” he said
Nalini Somalatha, said she was struggling to find news of her son Nalin, 25, who had gone to church with his Christian girlfriend.
“I heard about the blasts and I called my son.. but there was no response,” said the desperate mother who later found out that Nalin’s girlfriend had died.
Before the blackout, harrowing images had emerged from the aftermath of powerful bombs that blasted through the packed pews of St Anthony’s Shrine in Colombo, the Zion Church in the eastern city of Batticaloa, and St Sebastian’s in Negombo, a city about 20 miles north of the capital.
The explosions were so powerful that they blew out roof tiles, splintered wood and smashed altars and religious icons.
Photos posted to social media in an appeal for help showed lifeless bodies strewn across the rubble. At St Anthony’s, where at least 160 parishioners were injured, eyewitnesses described a “river of blood” among the debris.
The authorities have launched a massive security operation and schools will remain closed for two days.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe acknowledged during a late-night press conference that “information was there” about possible attacks.
“While this goes on we must also look into why adequate precautions were not taken,” he said, but stressed that the government’s first priority would be to “apprehend the terrorists.”
“First and foremost we have to ensure that terrorism does not lift its head in Sri Lanka,” he said.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe acknowledged during a late-night press conference that “information was there” about possible attacks.
“While this goes on we must also look into why adequate precautions were not taken,” he said, but stressed that the government’s first priority would be to “apprehend the terrorists.”
“First and foremost we have to ensure that terrorism does not lift its head in Sri Lanka,” he said.
British mother and son among those killed in the blast
A British
mother and son were killed while eating breakfast at a five-star Sri
Lankan hotel as a string of suicide bombs ripped through the country
Alex Nicholson, 11, his mother, Anita, 42, were killed while dining at the second-floor restaurant in the Shangri La hotel in the country’s capital, Colombo, on Sunday as it was gutted in one of several explosions which hit Sri Lanka.
Alex Nicholson, 11, his mother, Anita, 42, were killed while dining at the second-floor restaurant in the Shangri La hotel in the country’s capital, Colombo, on Sunday as it was gutted in one of several explosions which hit Sri Lanka.
The
schoolboy’s father, Ben, survived, while The Telegraph was unable to
account for the whereabouts of the couple’s youngest daughter. Mr
Nicholson is not believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries and
was seen at the capital’s Judicial Medical Office with his ear
plastered. He was said to be left “completely in shock”.
Witness describes 'panic mode' after blasts
Bhanuka Harischandra has given a graphic account of the immediate aftermath of the blasts to Associated Press.
He was running a little late for his meeting Sunday.
As a car carrying him pulled into the back entrance of the luxury Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lanka's capital of Colombo, he realized something was wrong.
People were telling him not to come in, it wasn't safe. Still, the car pulled around to the front of the hotel and Harischandra saw the aftermath of a bombing. People were being evacuated, others were being dragged. Blood and ambulances were everywhere.
"It was panic mode," Harischandra, a 24-year-old founder of a tech marketing company, said by telephone later in the day. "I didn't process it for a while."
He decided to go to the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, where he thought it would be safe. But just after he was dropped at the luxury hotel and about to enter the building, he heard another bomb go off.
He was running a little late for his meeting Sunday.
As a car carrying him pulled into the back entrance of the luxury Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lanka's capital of Colombo, he realized something was wrong.
People were telling him not to come in, it wasn't safe. Still, the car pulled around to the front of the hotel and Harischandra saw the aftermath of a bombing. People were being evacuated, others were being dragged. Blood and ambulances were everywhere.
"It was panic mode," Harischandra, a 24-year-old founder of a tech marketing company, said by telephone later in the day. "I didn't process it for a while."
He decided to go to the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, where he thought it would be safe. But just after he was dropped at the luxury hotel and about to enter the building, he heard another bomb go off.
Now their anxiety is back.
"For them, it's a bit of a different situation," he said. "They're afraid this might start racial violence."
On Sunday night, he was with his family, observing a curfew. He said there was "a lot of tension" in the air, but he was also hoping that the worst might be over: It had been a few hours since the last blast.
Harischandra was heartened by the fact that his social media feed was flooded with photos of the lines of people waiting to give blood. Lines so long "you can't see the end."
"For them, it's a bit of a different situation," he said. "They're afraid this might start racial violence."
On Sunday night, he was with his family, observing a curfew. He said there was "a lot of tension" in the air, but he was also hoping that the worst might be over: It had been a few hours since the last blast.
Harischandra was heartened by the fact that his social media feed was flooded with photos of the lines of people waiting to give blood. Lines so long "you can't see the end."
Bomb found at Sri Lanka's main airport
An
Improvised Explosive Device has been detected in the vicinity of the
Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) by the Air Force a short while
ago, the Sri Lanka Sunday Times reports.
"A PVC pipe which was six feet in length containing explosives in it was discovered," Air Force Spokesman Gihan Seneviratne said.
He noted that the explosive device was discovered by Air Force personnel on a mobile patrol and was disposed by the Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit of the Air Force in a controlled area.
"A PVC pipe which was six feet in length containing explosives in it was discovered," Air Force Spokesman Gihan Seneviratne said.
He noted that the explosive device was discovered by Air Force personnel on a mobile patrol and was disposed by the Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit of the Air Force in a controlled area.
