Sri Lanka Easter bombings: Mass casualties in churches and hotels

Seven suspects arrested after series of bombings kills nearly 200 people and wounds about 400, defence minister says.

A series of coordinated bombings have struck churches and hotels on Easter Sunday killing nearly 200 people in the worst attacks in Sri Lanks since the end of civil war 10 years ago.

More than 400 people have been wounded after the island nation was hit by a total of eight explosions, police said, adding that several of the attacks were carried out by suicide bombers.

The seventh blast occurred at a hotel near the national zoo in the capital, killing two people, police said, while the eighth hit the suburb of Orugodawatta north of Colombo when when officers entered the residence to search it.

The explosion brought down the upper level of the home and killed three police officers, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has condemned the attacks saying it is "an attempt to make the country and its economy unstable".

He held an emergency meeting with the country's top military officials of the National Security Council and called for an emergency convening of the nation's parliament on Monday.

"I condemn these attacks which targeted religious places and some hotels. We all should join hands to protect law and order," Wickremesinghe said. 

"I have already instructed the Secretary of Defence, Tri Forces Commanders and the Inspector General of Police to take stringent action to ensure law and order in the country."

Sri Lanka's Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardena said seven suspects have been arrested in the wake of the attacks.

Most of the victims were killed in attacks on three churches where worshippers were attending Easter Sunday services. Three other bombings struck luxury hotels - the Cinnamon Grand, Kingsbury and Shangri-La - located in the heart of Colombo, killing at least 35 foreigners.

Among the dead were Japanese, Dutch, British, American and Portuguese tourists, according to AFP. 

A hotel official at the Cinnamon Grand said a suicide bomber blew himself up at the facility's restaurant. "He came up to the top of the queue and set off the blast," he said.

The series of attacks started with the bombing of St Anthony's Shrine in the capital. Five other blasts followed within half an hour, including the bombings on St Sebastian's church in Negombo, about 30km from the capital, and another in Batticaloa, 250km east of the capital.

Police spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekera said the injured were being evacuated while security forces have cordoned off the areas and search operations are under way.

Photos circulating on social media showed the roof of one church had been blown almost entirely off in the blast.

The floor was littered with a mixture of roof tiles, splintered wood and blood.

Several people could be seen covered in blood, some trying to help those with more serious injuries.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility.