Sixty-five injured in wasp attack

Sixty-five people, including students and teachers were hospitalized after being stung by wasps when a wasp nest collapsed during a meeting at Athimale Isuru School yesterday.

Police say that a large wasp nest in the corridor of a school building had suddenly fallen during a meeting held yesterday morning (14) and the students were stung when they got scared and started running helter skelter.

Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said that the meeting had been held outdoors at around 8.00 am yesterday and when the nest fell the wasps had got disturbed and had stung the students.

He said that 60 students who had been stung are being treated at the Athimale Provincial Hospital while two students in a serious condition were transferred to the Siyambalanduwa Hospital. The school principal and two staff members who were also stung are receiving treatment at the Athimale Hospital. Wildlife officers were scheduled to remove the wasp nest from the school premises yesterday.