A seventh explosion has now been reported.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, bomb blasts in three Sri Lankan churches and three hotels have killed at least 156 people, with another 400 people wounded.
In one church, just north of the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, over 50 people were killed.
RTE News report that another 25 people were killed in an attack on a church in eastern part of the country, but that there have been no immediate claims of responsibility for the attacks.
The New York Times have reported that there were also explosions at three five-star hotels in Colombo; the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury.
The Independent reports that A seventh explosion has been reported near a hotel in Colombo as attacks in Sri Lanka continue. The blast is believed to have been heard near the Tropical Inn hotel, not far from Dehiwala Zoo, at about 2pm local time.
Harsha de Silva, a member of Parliament, took to Twitter to confirm that foreigners were among the casualties:
Sec Defence and I am at Kochchikade church. Also was at ShangriLa n Kingsbury. PM is on his way from Bentota. Emergency meeting called in a few minutes. Rescue operations underway. Please stay calm and indoors. Many casualties including foreigners.
— Harsha de Silva (@HarshadeSilvaMP) April 21, 2019
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe made the following statement on Twitter, having called a national security council meeting:
I strongly condemn the cowardly attacks on our people today. I call upon all Sri Lankans during this tragic time to remain united and strong. Please avoid propagating unverified reports and speculation. The government is taking immediate steps to contain this situation.
— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) April 21, 2019
Churches and hotels around the country have been placed on alert, with many churches halting or cancelling their Easter services.
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