Photo credit: Reuters

The terror bombings which ravaged churches and hotels on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka have recorded nearly 300 deaths according to official sources. The number of persons injured have been put at more than 500.

The blasts targeted several churches which were packed full with worshippers who were observing Easter. Also targeted were four hotels including the Shangri-La, Kingsbury and the Cinnamon Grand in the capital, Colombo.

Most of the victims were Sri Lankan but the country’s foreign ministry has  said the bodies of 31 foreign nationals who died in the blasts have also been identified while 14 others were yet to be accounted for. Indeed, a number of American nationals are believed to have also been killed.

Among foreigners so far identified as killed are eight Indians, eight UK nationals, two Saudi Arabian nationals and two Chinese.

There is yet no claims of responsibility for the attacks but US officials have linked them to ISIS .

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has declared a nationwide emergency from midnight on Monday and given the military sweeping war-time powers starting Tuesday to arrest and detain suspects.