Caconda — At least 21 schoolgirls were admitted to the hospital emergency room on Tuesday in Caconda municipality, central Huíla province, after an earthquake was registered at 7.40 a.m., which affected the 22 de Novembro School.

The National Institute of Meteorology and Geophysics (INAMET) has not yet provided data on the intensity of the earthquake, however it has already affected the pupils of the 12-classroom "22 de Novembro-Caconda" school, located in the municipal seat, which teaches 7th, 8th and 9th grade.

Speaking about the case, the director of nursing at the Caconda municipal hospital, José Quirino, said the teenagers arrived unconscious and after a few minutes recovered, although there are still four who have not recovered, but all 19 have already been discharged.

"They arrived in a critical state, with dyspnea or respiratory insufficiency. They were given medical attention and after half an hour, most of them recovered and are already returned to their families," he said.

This is the third earthquake in the area, the first one occurred on the june 5 with two people fainting, and the second on the June 21, with 19 children fainting, having affected Lubango and Caluquembe at the time.

Of the 21 teenagers of the June 25 earthquake, seven are part of the group of 19 who fainted in the previous earthquake in the area.