Thirty-eight pupils have been discharged from hospital while six others are still being treated for injuries they received from a lightning strike that killed seven of the classmates in southwest China on Wednesday.

 

"The local government has selected a farmer's house as the temporary place for pupils to have classes," said a spokesman of Kaixian County, Chongqing Municipality.

 

The classes will begin for 139 pupils next Monday, said the spokesman, adding the county government is considering building a new school for them.

 

The six who remain in hospital suffered serious injuries from the lightning strike that hit the village of Xingye's primary school Wednesday afternoon as 152 pupils were attending class.

 

Seven children between the ages of 10 and 14 were killed in the lightning strike. Forty-four others were hospitalized. Some of the injured suffered burns, internal and head injuries and damage to their eyes or ears.

 

"The desks and chairs of the pupils are wooden but all of them have steel nails," said a local official. "It cannot be ruled that they helped conduct the lightning.

 

Many schools in the poverty-stricken county have not had lightning rods installed, according to the official.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2007)