Security tightened at St Antony's Shrine after attacks

A day after series of blasts rocked Sri Lanka, security beefed up at St. Antony's Shrine in Colombo. The shrine was one of eight locations hit by explosions. Nearly 300 people were killed and over 500 injured in the explosions.

Colombo:St. Antony's Shrine in Colombo remained guarded by armed forces on Monday morning, a day after blasts hit the site in a series of targeted attacks that rocked Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

The shrine was one of eight locations hit by explosions which killed nearly 300 people and injured more than 500 others.

Debris and broken glass remained strewn across the ground surrounding the building, and crowds were seen gathered at the scene about 24 hours after the bombings.

St. Anthony's Shrine along with three hotels where the blasts took place are in Colombo, and are frequented by foreign tourists.

Other blasts were reported at St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, a majority Catholic town north of Colombo, and at Zion Church in the eastern town of Batticaloa.

The nine bombings of churches, luxury hotels and other sites was Sri Lanka's deadliest violence since a devastating civil war ended a decade ago.