8 Blasts in Sri Lanka Blasts 207 Killed 500 Injured
8 blasts rip through churches and luxury hotels in Sri lanka, killing 207 and injuring 500.
On Easter, 21st April 2019, in Sri Lanka eight blasts rocked Luxury hotels and Churches in Sri Lanka. These are the deadliest attacks, the country has seen since the civil war which ended a decade ago. The first blast took place at 8:45 am in Colombo at the Shangri-La Hotel, Kingsbury Hotel, St. Anthony’s Church, and St Sebastian’s Church. The churches were packed with people who had come to attend the Easter Sunday services. The blast at St Anthony was so powerful that it blew up the roof, leaving roof tiles, glass and wood around the bodies strewn all over the floor.
At 8:45 am a man named Azzam Mohamed, who had registered to stay at the hotel the night before, was waiting in line for the Easter Sunday buffet at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel. He was just about to be served when he set off the bomb in the packed restaurant. A manager who was welcoming guests were immediately killed. Parts of the suicide bombers body were found and taken by the police for investigation.
At 9:05 am Father Kumaran of the Zion Church in the town of Batticaloa saw a man standing near the entrance of the church. He saw that the man was carrying a bag and dressed casually. The Father asked the man who he was, since he had never seen him at the church before. The man said he was a Muslim and had come to visit the Church. Some priests ushered the Father in the Church, because it was getting late for the service. As he walked towards the podium, he heard a loud blast. He thought a tire had exploded, but when he saw the blood and bodies strewn everywhere he was shocked. 12 children who had finished their Sunday classes at the church, lost their lives too. At 1:45 pm another blast occurred at the New Tropical Inn near the Dehiwala Zoo and at 2:15 pm a house where police were conducting raids was bombed as well.
