As explosions were heard and the night sky lit up with anti-aircraft fire, fans scrambled to leave parks and hotels where giant screens showing Sri Lanka playing Australia in the final in Barbados were switched off.

Officials said a fuel storage tank was destroyed in the raid.

Flights at the island's only international airport were disrupted as the air defence systems kicked in, officials said adding that one Indian jet was turned back while several departing flights were delayed.

It was the third time the separatist rebels have used light aircraft to hit military targets. The Bandaranaike International Airport shares a runway with the adjoining military base where warplanes are parked.

"It was total panic because we initially thought it was fireworks," said Zaithoon Bin Ahamed who was partying with friends at a Colombo rugby club.

"Organisers were asking people to stay calm, but people were getting nervous over the constant sounds of gun fire. No one really knew what was going on," said Kamini Edward, who was at a hotel following the game which Australia won.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) planes targeted two petroleum storage depots at the Colombo suburb of Kolonnawa and Muthurajawela, on the way to the airport, rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiriyan said.

The defence ministry confirmed that the two facilities -- - one state-owned and the other run by the multi-national Shell -- - were hit by four Tiger bombs, but only two exploded at the Shell depot.