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)