Easter Sunday Attack in Sri Lanka Reportedly Leaves Hundreds Dead

A vicious attack on Easter Sunday left at least 207 people dead and more than 450 wounded.

A series of eight bomb blasts went off in and around Sri Lanka’s capital, at churches and popular hotels.

The explosions happened at St. Anthony’s Shrine, a Catholic church, the Protestant Zion church and St. Sebastian Catholic church. There were also blasts at the Cinnamon Grand, Shangri-La and Kingsbury hotels.

Authorities say the area is popular with tourists. At this point, Sri Lanka’s foreign secretary says the bodies of at least 27 foreigners were recovered.

Sri Lankan outlets are reporting they include people from Belgium, China, Britain and the U.S.

Defense Minister Ruwan Wijewardena described the bombings as a terrorist attack by religious extremists and said seven suspects had been arrested. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks yet. Wijewardena said most of the blasts were believed to have been suicide attacks, the AP reports.

It’s the deadliest event the island, located off of the coast of India, has experienced since a civil war ended there a decade ago.

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