Joseph Brown, American tourist: I was with a friend inside the Bombay Yacht Club on the ground floor, finishing breakfast, when we heard a loud blast. I thought it must be a hand-grenade, it was so close. There was a shower of glass and pieces of plaster, mortar, leaves and other debris fell down, making a pattering noise.

We couldn't see anything from there, but we went up to the fourth floor two hours later. From there we could see the blast site and the immediate surroundings. There was a black car -- we were told it was a cab -- which had its roof blown off. Next to it was another damaged car with what looked like a body inside. Around it was a large group of government officials.

Pamela Quentin, American tourist: We are staying at the Bombay Yacht Club. I was with a friend inside the Taj hotel at a beauty parlour near the shopping area when we heard a loud explosion. It was loud, but it was not so very loud. My friend thought it was a gas explosion. I was not sure where the explosion had taken place. We couldn't see anything from where we were, but there seemed to be a lot of confusion.

We were allowed to go out through the side and talked to people outside. We saw a car going by with its windscreen smashed.

A window of the hotel had shattered and there was glass all over the place. A lady with children came by screaming and crying. She seemed to know somebody who was there at the time.

Complete coverage of the blasts

We were then allowed to go back into the hotel through the side.