MULTIPLE blasts that shook Sri Lanka yesterday have taken the lives of 207 people while more than 450 others were injured, and a curfew has been declared nationwide, Sri Lankan authorities said.

Altogether eight explosions have ripped through the country so far, with six blasts hitting in the morning and two in the afternoon. The curfew has been imposed from 6 p.m. yesterday to 6 a.m. today local time.

The Sri Lankan Government has also imposed a temporary ban on social media to prevent the spread of false information.

Of the dead in the blasts, there were 35 foreigners, the police confirmed. Hospital sources had earlier said nine foreigners were among those killed while 13 others had been injured.

Two Chinese nationals were killed in the blasts, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo confirmed. The embassy is verifying the number of Chinese injured in the attacks.

Earlier information from the embassy said that four Chinese nationals were injured.

The embassy activated an emergency response mechanism immediately after the incident, and embassy officials have visited the injured who were in the hospital for treatment.

It reminded Chinese citizens and businesses in Sri Lanka to watch out for safety.

Both Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have condemned the attacks and appealed for calm.

Wickremesinghe said the tri-forces and the police are conducting a thorough probe into the explosions.

The morning explosions occurred when hundreds of worshipers gathered at churches to commemorate Easter Sunday, the police said.

Police spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said two explosions were reported from St. Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade in capital Colombo and another church in Katana on the outskirts of the capital. A third explosion was reported from a church in Batticaloa in the east.

Television footage also showed blasts in three hotels — the Cinnamon Grand, Shangri-La and Kingsbury hotels in the capital, which occurred following the church blasts.

The seventh explosion happened from opposite the Dehiwala Zoo in Colombo, and the eighth, which was reportedly a suicide bombing, ripped through Colombo a short while ago, police have confirmed.

In a special statement, the Sri Lankan police urged the public to stay indoors and not gather at the explosion sites, which had been sealed off.

Television footage showed ambulances rushing the injured to Colombo National Hospital, Batticaloa Hospital in the east and Negombo Hospital on the outskirts of the capital where the explosions took place.

Security has been beefed up across the country. State Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijewardene said all necessary precautions had been taken to keep citizens safe.

Officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport have urged passengers to arrive four hours prior to their flight times, adding that no visitors will be allowed inside the airport.

Meanwhile, massive rescue operations are under way at the explosion sites, the police said.

There has been no claim of responsibility so far for the multiple blasts.

The international community has concertedly condemned the deadly blasts.

(Xinhua)