COLOMBO, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The island country of Sri Lanka was gripped by shock and grief on Sunday, after a series of deadly explosions ripped through hotels and churches in the capital of Colombo and other places, killing over 200 and injuring more than 450.
At least eight blasts were reported during the day, six in the morning and two in the afternoon, as worshippers gathered to commemorate Easter Sunday.
So far 207 people, including dozens of foreigners, were confirmed dead.
Two explosions were reported from St. Anthony's Church in Kochchikade in Colombo, and one hit St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, north of the capital on Sunday morning, while another one was reported from a church in the eastern town of Batticaloa.
Panic-stricken people were seen standing outside St. Sebastian's Church. The explosion ripped off the roof and knocked out the doors and windows at St. Sebastian's with broken glass strewn on the street.
Following the church blasts, explosions ripped through three five-star hotels in the capital -- the Cinnamon Grand, Shangri-La and Kingsbury hotels.
The seventh explosion happened from opposite the Dehiwala Zoo in Colombo, and the eighth struck moments later. Most of the attacks were caused by suicide bombers, State Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijewardene told reporters.
On Sunday afternoon, heavily armed policemen and soldiers were seen guarding the Cinnammon Grand Hotel.
"After hearing a loud bang, we knew an explosion has occurred. We immediately evacuated the guests and confirmed the room number of each guest. The hotel is empty now," a staff at the hotel told Xinhua.
Little traffic could be seen on the city's main Galle Road after the deadly attacks, and shops along the road were all closed.
Police personnel were patrolling the Galle Face Green located in the heart of Colombo and near the blast-hit Shangri-La Hotel.
The entrance of the Shangri-La hotel was cordoned off with tight security after the blast. Windows on the second floor of the building were shattered and the furniture inside the rooms were scattered in a mess.
A policeman from the Terrorist Investigation Division who checked Xinhua reporter's passport said, "This is a special moment, please cooperate for the checks for the sake of everyone's safety."
Around St. Anthony's Church where one of the attacks occurred, the roads were blocked for vehicles. Scattered roof tiles and shattered glass could be seen outside the church.
"I never expect this kind of thing could happen in our country," a local woman named Nirmala told Xinhua.
Sunday's blasts were the worst acts of violence since the country's 30-year civil war between government troops and the Tamil Tiger rebels ended in 2009.
"The blasts remind me of our civil war. I hope the government could find out the cause of the explosions as soon as possible, and prevent such bloodshed from happening again," Kolitha, a local in his 50s, told Xinhua outside St. Anthony's Church.
