Sri Lanka Terror Attack: 99 Killed\, many Injured as 6 Blasts Rock Churches\, Hotels on Easter

Sri Lanka Terror Attack: 99 Killed, many Injured as 6 Blasts Rock Churches, Hotels on Easter

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At least 99 people have been killed, while several others have been injured in the terror attacks across Sri Lanka, the police have said

An emergency meeting had been called over the bomb explosions reported across the country, Minister Dr. Harsha De Silva said a short while ago.

In a tweet, he said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was on his way from Bentota.

“Secretary of Defence and I am at Kochchikade Church. We were also at Shangri-La and Kingsbury Hotels. Rescue operations are underway. Many casualties have been reported including foreigners,” he said and requested people to stay calm and indoors.

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WEB DESK / COLOMBO /AGENCIES

Six explosions ripped through Sri Lanka’s churches and popular hotels on Sunday morning, with authorities saying 99 people were feared dead. Worshippers were targeted at the Kochikade, St Sebastian and Batticaloa churches during Easter mass. The other locations are Hotel Shangri La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury hotel.

The blasts occurred at around 8.45am (local time) as the Easter Sunday masses were in progress in churches, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.

The Sri Lankan President Maithripala has expressed shock over the terror attacks across Sri Lanka. “I am shocked and saddened by the situation that has occurred,” he said. he said that the investigations has been initiated in the case. “Please remain calm and do not be fooled by rumours,” the Sri Lankan President said.

According to Daily Mirror, Police urged the public to stay indoors and not to gather at the explosion sites, and outside the national hospitals where the injured are being brought in.

Several casualties were reported, including foreign tourists, from at least six explosions this morning at three churches in Kochchikade, Katana, and Batticaloa and three five-star hotels, the Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury in Colombo, it said.

According to Colombo National Hospital sources, more than 100 injured were admitted to the hospital.

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, responding to the explosions, said that she is in close touch with the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo and that the government was closely monitoring the situation in the neighboring country.

For Indian citizens in Sri Lanka requiring any assistance, the Indian embassy in Sri Lanka has tweeted out helpline numbers.

Only around six per cent of mainly Buddhist Sri Lanka is Catholic, but the religion is seen as a unifying force because it includes people from both the Tamil and majority Sinhalese ethnic groups.