Lightning strikes 9 schoolboy cricketers in S.Africa

Johannesburg, Feb 12 (AFP) Lightning struck nine teenage pupils at a boys school in Johannesburg as they played cricket today, paramedics said. "There were children hit by lightning," said private emergency service Netcare 911 spokeswoman Santi Steinman, adding that all nine boys survived. The boys aged 16 to 18 were pupils at the King Edward High School, which was founded in 1902. "Only nine 1st team cricketers affected. 7 stable and 2 under high care," the school posted on microblogging site Twitter. Late afternoon thunderstorms are an almost daily occurrence in the north of the country during the summer rainy season. (AFP) NKP NKP 02130101 NNNN