'They are so beautiful': Australian mother and daughter killed in Sri Lankan bombings
The two Australians killed in the Sri Lankan bomb blasts have been identified as mother Manik Suriaaratchi and her 10-year-old daughter Alexendria.
Friend Lucien Pereira said Ms Suriaaratchi and her young daughter had been killed, but her husband, Sudesh, was believed to be safe.
"They are so beautiful, so helpful to everyone. They’re just not like normal people, they are so good. I don’t want to believe that we’ve lost them," Mr Pereira said.
"Since 2008, we went to temples together, their family and our family. Going to church, sharing dinner, kids stuff and all. They went back to Sri Lanka to settle down, I guess, around 2014.
"We’ve been keeping in touch, messaging and stuff, and they’ve been so busy with their lifestyle in Sri Lanka."
On Facebook he wrote: "R.I.P Akki Manik Suriaaratchi and angel Alexandria (sic) You will never be forgotten & always be in our hearts."
Ms Suriaaratchi was managing director of Omega Global, a business management company, according to the company's Facebook page.
She attended a networking event with the then-Australian High Commissioner, Bryce Hutchesson, in Colombo in February 2018.
A friend from Melbourne, Chani Gerkens, said she fondly remembers Alexendria as a happy toddler who loved dancing.
Ms Gerkens had not spoken to the family since they moved to Sri Lanka, but said she would cherish her memories of the lunches she shared with Ms Suriaaratchi, and of Alexendria's second birthday at a restaurant in Mount Dandenong.
Another friend Fahim Mawjood said it was "really shocking to know that you are no longer here with us".
"You lost your lives on a holy day in a holy place. The sweet memories of Alex and yours will live in our hearts forever. May your souls rest in peace Manik and Alex," he wrote on Facebook.
A teacher at Colombo International School said she would miss the little girl in school.
"RIP angel. We all going to miss you in school."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison had earlier confirmed that two citizens living in Sri Lanka were among the 290 people killed in the Easter Sunday blasts that rocked churches and top-end hotels in Sri Lanka's capital of Colombo.
"Right now, Sri Lanka is grieving, Australia is grieving," Mr Morrison said.
"Two Australians have lost their lives in this terrible massacre and my heart is full of grief for them and their families."
The prime minister confirmed another two Australians - both of whom were dual citizens - have been injured but are in a stable condition.
One has been treated for shrapnel wounds and the other a broken leg, with both receiving consular support.
Mr Morrison said it was too early to say whether more Australians could be among those who have been hurt.
"As the days pass, and the injured are treated, and some of them succumb to their wounds as well, we are seeing this massacre going from what was bad, very bad, to much, much worse," he said.
More than 500 people have been injured in the bomb blasts that ripped through three churches, three luxury hotels and a guesthouse on Easter Sunday.
The Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka has been working to determine the whereabouts of Australians and monitor the situation.
Australia's travel advice for Sri Lanka has been upgraded to "reconsider your need to travel" in the aftermath of the attack.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says Australians concerned for family or friends should try to contact them directly before contacting the consular emergency centre.
with AAP