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At least 138 people have died and 500 more are wounded after bomb blasts rocked three churches and four hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

Six blasts, which were near-simultaneous, targeted worshippers and hotel guests celebrating Easter shortly after 9am local time.

Two more explosions were reported shortly after 2.30pm local time - one at a small hotel and another at a housing scheme.

The Sri Lankan Government has imposed a curfew that will begin at 6pm and continue for 12 hours and it has shutdown all access to social media.

St Anthony’s Shrine church and the first three hotels where the explosions took place are in Colombo and are frequented by foreign tourists.

About 35 tourists, including Britons, Americans and Dutch citizens, are believed to be among the dead and the Foreign Office said it was urgently seeking information from local authorities.

In just one church, St Sebastian's in Katuwapitiya, north of Colombo, more than 50 people were killed, according to a police official.

Horrifying pictures show bodies on the ground, blood on the pews and a destroyed roof. It shared the pictures of destruction inside the church on its Facebook page and requested help from the public.

The explosion ripped off the roof and knocked out doors and windows at St Sebastian's.

Twenty-five people were also killed in an attack on a Zion church in the eastern town of Batticaloa.

The first three hotels hit were the Shangri-La Colombo, Kingsbury Hotel and Cinnamon Grand Colombo. A fourth hotel was later targeted in Dehiwela near a zoological gardens.

A housing scheme in Dematagoda was also hit by an eighth blast.

Julian Emmanuel, from Surrey, and his family were staying at the Cinnamon Grand hotel in Colombo which is one of the hotels targeted. He told the BBC: “We were in our room and heard a large explosion. It woke us up. There were ambulances, fire crews, police sirens.

“I came out of the room to see what’s happening, we were ushered downstairs.

“We were told there had been a bomb. Staff said some people were killed. One member of staff told me it was a suicide bomber...

“We were sent back to our rooms. We were reluctant to leave.”

He said the family had planned to have Easter brunch but it had been put on hold.

Two of the blasts were suspected to have been carried out by suicide bombers. Bomb squad officials are rescuing casualties from wreckage at the blast sites, according to one source.

Sri Lankan airlines is requesting that all passengers flying out of Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport report for their flights four hours before take-off in order to clear the increased security measures in the wake of the bomb attacks.

It is the first major bomb attack in Sri Lanka since the end of the civil war 10 years ago.

There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attacks in a country which was at war for decades with Tamil separatists until 2009 during which bomb blasts in the capital were common.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe called a national security council meeting at his home for later in the day.

The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka said he was in Colombo with his family at a church service which was cut short by the attacks.

He tweeted: "Our prayers for the victims of these evil attacks, and for their families. Our thoughts are with the medical staff, police and all involved in the response."

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We are aware of reports of a number of explosions in Sri Lanka, including Colombo, and we are urgently seeking information from the local authorities.

"British nationals in Sri Lanka should follow the instructions of the local authorities and check FCO travel advice for updates."

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was shocked by the attacks in Sri Lanka which have killed more than 100.

He tweeted: "I'm deeply shocked and saddened by the horrifying attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka today.

"To target those gathered for worship on Easter Sunday is particularly wicked.

"My prayers are with the victims and their families, and with those assisting in the response."

Prime Minister Theresa May said: "The acts of violence against churches and hotels in Sri Lanka are truly appalling, and my deepest sympathies go out to all of those affected at this tragic time.

"We must stand together to make sure that no one should ever have to practise their faith in fear."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "I'm appalled by the horrific attacks in Sri Lanka, on Easter Sunday, the most important day in the Christian calendar.

"I stand with the victims, their families, the people of Sri Lanka and Christians around the world. We must defeat this hatred with unity, love and respect."