People from across Metro Vancouver gathered in Surrey Monday to pay tribute to those killed and wounded in the devastating Easter bombings in Sri Lanka.

Nearly 300 people were killed and hundreds more were injured in the suicide attacks that struck three churches and three luxury hotels Sunday, marking the deadliest violence the country has seen since the end of a civil war in 2009.

"The first question that came to mind was 'Why Sri Lanka?'" Sri Lankan-Canadian and vigil organizer Ransiri Fernando told CTV News Vancouver on Monday.

Fernando, who came to Canada 2010 as a skilled immigrant in search of a better upbringing for his two daughters, said the violence deeply impacted the local Sri Lankan community.

"I think everybody is grief-stricken here … We are shocked," he said. "This was the worst Easter Sunday I've ever had in my life."

There are more than 4,000 Sri Lankans living in B.C. and Monday's vigil at Holland Park was ultimately about showing strength and solidarity as well as remembering those killed, Fernando said.

"We want to tell the whole world that we are united as one people from Sri Lanka," he said. "We want to pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died and pray for the consolation of those who are grieving."

Three unexploded bombs went off Monday inside a van parked near one of the churches targeted in the attacks, exacerbating the sense of panic in the island nation.

The Sri Lankan government has shut down some social media and imposed curfews in the wake of the bombings.

The military has also been given greater authority when it comes to detaining suspects. At least 24 people have been taken into custody so far.

Officials have disclosed that intelligence agencies were warned weeks ago about the possibility of attacks by a radical Muslim group that's been blamed for the violence. It's unclear what, if any, action was taken at the time.

Fernando, meanwhile, had a strong message for the perpetrators of this weekend's violence.

"If it is national disharmony and disunity that they wanted to create, it's not going to happen because we are united as one population, one people," he said. "That's the message we want to give them."

With files from CTV News Vancouver's David Molko and the Associated Press