By Xinhua
Colombo : At least 16 people were feared killed and nearly as many injured here in an explosion Wednesday afternoon after a female suicide bomber earlier in the day killed one and injured two, defence officials and media said.
Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the incident happened close to a supermarket in the eastern suburb of Nugegoda around 5:50 p.m. local time (1220 GMT). The explosion also started a fire in the area, he said.
He added that the casualty figures were not immediately available, but the state television said 16 people were killed and 20 injured in the explosion.
Earlier Wednesday, a female Tamil Tiger suicide bomber killed one person and injured two after exploding herself near the office of Douglas Devananda, the minister of social services and welfare.