42 Sri Lankan students hospitalized following wasp attack

COLOMBO, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Around 42 students in northern Sri Lanka were hospitalized on Monday following a wasp attack.

Teachers and parents told the media that a wasp's nest, on a tree near a school building in Vavuniya, was disturbed due to some unidentified activities, causing the wasps to attack people around.

The victims were admitted to the local hospital and a hospital spokesman said some of the students were in critical condition.

Eyewitnesses said there would have been more victims if teachers and the parents did not evacuate the school immediately.

A few wasp attacks take place each year in the district and local police said they have asked the wildlife officials to take action against such incidents.