COLOMBO, May 2, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The death toll from the Easter suicide
bomb attacks in Sri Lanka has risen to 257, authorities said Thursday.
They warned that the final number of dead from the April 21 attacks on
three churches and three Colombo hotels would rise further.
“The death toll stands at 257 as of now,” Anil Jasinghe, government
director general of health services, told AFP.
“The death toll slowly increased because there were some in-hospital
deaths. There are some body parts as well so it is actually 257-plus.”
At least 40 of the dead are foreigners, with some missing tourists still
to be accounted for.
According to the latest count, 496 injured were admitted to hospitals,
with 47 still being treated and 12 of those in intensive care.
The government had given a toll of more than 350 but brought this down
last week, blaming double counting of bodies that were badly mutilated in the
six blasts.