Warrnambool's Sri Lankan community is banding together in the wake of the devastating terror attacks across the country on Easter Sunday, killing more than 290 people and injuring 450.
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Eight blasts rocked churches and hotels in and around Sri Lanka's capital on Easter Sunday.
Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardena, who blamed the attacks on religious extremists, said 13 people had been arrested, however no one had immediately claimed responsibility for the blasts.
The death toll is expected to rise.
Well known Warrnambool man Jayaweera 'Bundy' Bandara is from Sri Lanka and said the community was saddened by the attack.
"It's shocking. We haven't had anything like this since the civil war finished," he said.
It's shocking. We haven't had anything like this since the civil war finished. Everyone was going about life as normal.
- Jayaweera 'Bundy' Bandara
"Everyone was going about life as normal. It was shocking to hear of this happening again.
"The last 10 years have been peaceful and the country has been going well."
He said he had been talking to his parents and friends in Sri Lanka after the attacks.
"One of my best friends went to church at the midnight mass, the same church in Colombo (where an attack was the following morning)," he said.
"No-one can really believe this has happened. The whole Sri Lankan community in Warrnambool is so sad. There are no words."
Mr Bandara said the country had been enjoying growth over the past 10 years since the civil war had finished and the tourism industry was booming.
"The roads are back to normal and people can travel all over the country," he said.
"Everything has been so good the last 10 years. I was talking to my sister and they were shocked. They didn't know what was going on. My family are safe."
The nearly simultaneous first six blasts on Sunday morning local time toppled ceilings and blew out windows at a famous Catholic church in Colombo and at three luxury hotels in the city.
Two other blasts followed at St Sebastian's Catholic church in Negombo and at the Protestant Zion church in the eastern town of Batticaloa.
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