Sri Lanka attacks’ death toll rises to 290, with 2 Australians killed

At least 290 people were killed and hundreds more injured in a series of explosions across Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, one of the most sacred days of the year for Christians, Cable News Network reported Monday.

High-end hotels and churches were hit in the coordinated attacks just as eight blast sites were reported.

Bodies were said to continue to arrive at hospitals in cities of Batticaloa, Negombo, and nation’s capital Colombo. Locals and foreigners are among the dead. Particularly two Australian nationals were said to have been cut down in the horrific attacks.

Very little is known about who is behind the seemingly coordinated attacks.

Sunday’s violence punctures a decade of relative peace in the country following the end of its civil war in 2009.

Sri Lanka has since turned itself into a popular tourist destination.

In the meantime, Sri Lankan Minister of Economic Reforms, Mr. Harsha de Silva, has declared, “All funeral costs are taken care of”.

De Silva, making the promise in a tweet, said the funeral costs for those who died at St. Sebastian’s Church in Negombo will be covered by the government.

He said that 102 people had died at the site.

Also gathered was that two Australians died in the bombings.  Sri Lankan Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.

According to the PM, the two deceased Australians were members of the same family, living in Sri Lanka.

Morrison added that two Australian women were also injured and were being treated for shrapnel wounds and a broken leg.

Kumar Wickramasinghe, Director of Colombo’s National Hospital, who said three kid victims had been brought to his hospital, was said to be working in the medical ward on Sunday morning when blast victims were first brought in.

The hospital received 263 people in the wake of Sunday’s attacks, he told CNN.

The director said the three children were among the wounded receiving intensive care.

The hospital is not in need of supplies, Wickramasinghe said, adding that so many locals came forward to donate blood Sunday that the hospital had to turn some volunteers away.

“We have enough supplies, medicine and others things, but help is always welcome,” he added.