Sri Lanka bombings 2019: Australians injured in deadly blasts

Two Australians are among the hundreds who were injured in the Sri Lankan terror attacks, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed. WARNING: Graphic content

WARNING: Graphic content

Two Australians have been injured in the Sri Lankan terror attacks, it has been confirmed.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed the injured Australians are a woman in her mid-50s and a woman in her mid to late 20s.

Tragically, two Australians were killed in the massacre, the PM said.

The two deceased were related and living in Sri Lanka.

The two injured women held dual citizenship, Mr Morrison said told reporters in Melbourne.

“Both are in a stable condition, I understand,” Mr Morrison said.

“One was treated for shrapnel wounds and the other was treated for a broken leg.”

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Sri Lankans carry a body at St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, north of Colombo. Picture: AP Photo/Chamila Karunarathne

An injured Sri Lankan woman is transported on a stretcher at a hospital following an explosion at a church in Batticaloa. Picture: AFP

In a statement, DFAT said Australians concerned for the welfare of family and friends in the area should try to contact them directly.

“If you cannot contact them and have fears for their safety, DFAT’s Consular Emergency Centre can be contacted on 1300 555 135 (within Australia) or [phone] (from overseas).”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier said there was no clear evidence who was behind the attacks.

“At this point, there is no clear or conclusive evidence about what the source of this is, when you have that level of carnage,” Mr Morrison said.

“What I do know is that people - innocents - were targeted. They were targeted in their place of worship as Christians, they were targeted where they went to their breakfast buffet as westerners that morning, but they’ve also been targeted in other parts of the country.

“We should wait and see what the investigation produce.”

Mr Morrison spoke from Berwick Temple in Melbourne this morning, which is attended mostly by Sri Lankans and Buddhists.

Dead bodies of victims lie inside St. Sebastian's Church damaged in blast in Negombo, north of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Picture: AP

“We don’t know yet who was responsible for this violence, but I do know this: hate and evil are what sits behind any such attack,” he said.

“They are the enemies of peace, they are the end of innocence we saw in the beautiful young girls dancing in front of us today.

“We stand here together and we look at these young people and we are full of hope and we are full of love, because love conquers fear.

“Love conquers evil. Love is the basis of peace and it is what binds is together as Australian people and more broadly people all around the world.”

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham told ABC News his heartfelt sympathies were with the families of the more than 290 people killed on Easter Sunday.

A soldier stands guard on the roof of a Methodist Church during an Easter service in Quetta. Picture: AFP

“Our High Commission in Sri Lanka has been working closely to monitor circumstances to ascertain the whereabouts of Australians,” Senator Birmingham said.

“We are not aware of any Australian loss of life.

“I understand there may be an Australian injured but I’m awaiting further details on that.”

Senator Birmingham condemned the targeted attack of Christians.

Meantime, Sri Lankan Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardena described the blasts as a terrorist attack by religious extremists.

Wijewardena said most of the bombings were believed to have been suicide attacks.

The explosions — most of them in or around Colombo, the capital — collapsed ceilings and blew out windows, killing worshippers and hotel guests in one scene after another of smoke, soot, blood, broken glass, screams and wailing alarms.

Victims were carried out of blood-spattered pews.

The eight devastating bomb blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on Sunday, killing at least 290 people, including dozens of foreigners.

Sri Lankan officials inspect St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, north of Colombo, after multiple explosions targeting churches and hotels. Picture: Getty

The apparently coordinated attacks were the deadliest to hit the country in the decade since the end of a bloody civil war that killed up to 100,000 people and evoked painful memories for many Sri Lankans.

They also marked a devastating escalation of violence against the country’s Christian minority that has been targeted in the past, but never to such brutal effect.

Blood stains are seen on the wall and on a Jesus Christ statue at the St. Sebastian's Church after blast in Negombo, north of Colombo. Picture: AP

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the government said eight people had been arrested and investigators would look into whether the attackers had “overseas links”.

The government also imposed a nationwide curfew and curbed social media access to prevent “wrong information” from spreading in the country of 21 million people.

The powerful blasts — six in quick succession and then two more hours later — injured hundreds.

At least two of them involved suicide bombers, including one who lined up at a hotel breakfast buffet before unleashing carnage.