The State Council, China's cabinet, has expressed great concerns
Friday over the lightning tragedy in a village school in southwest
China.
The China Meteorological Administration dispatched a work team
to the site on Thursday.
Seven children were killed and 39 were injured on Wednesday
afternoon when lightning struck their three-room school house in
the village of Xingye, more than 300 km from downtown Chongqing Municipality.
Some of the victims' parents are racing home to tend to the
tragedy.
As one of the poorest areas in the country, many parents of the
children have taken jobs in big cities as migrant workers.
Volunteers have been organized to care and comfort the injured
children whose parents are absent while being treated in hospital.
Five are in serious condition, said local sources.
A dozen doctors have been called to the county seat of Kaixian
from three hospitals in downtown Chongqing to help treat the
injured students. The village of Xingye is about 50 km from larger
urban center of Kaixian.
Village officials and health workers are providing psychological
counseling to the injured and their relatives, said local
sources.
The primary school had about 150 students and just three
classes. Five of those killed were in the sixth grade, while two
were fourth graders. They ranged in age from 10 to 14, said the
county officials.
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"After a big bang, black smoke rose from two of the classrooms.
Ninety-five students and their teachers struck to the ground,"
recalled an eyewitness. "Some of the students suffered burns over
their entire body. Clothes, shoes and textbooks were scattered all
over the place."
Some of the injured suffered burns, internal and head injuries
and damage to their eyes or ears.
Those with slight injuries were treated at the town hospital,
while the more seriously hurt were transferred later to the county
hospital, said local sources.
Witnesses say most of the victims were sitting close to the
windows in their classrooms. None of the teaching staff were killed
or injured.
Classes will resume on Monday at newly rented houses, say local
sources.
The village is in northeastern part of Chongqing and is prone to
lightning and the school did not have a lightning rod.
After Wednesday's lightning strike, county government
authorities of Kaixian ordered a county-wide inspection of
schools.
(Xinhua News Agency May 25, 2007)