Lightning struck a school campus in Nara, western Japan, on the evening of April 10, sending six students to hospital.

The thunderbolt hit the schoolyard of Tezukayama Junior and Senior High School at around 5:50 p.m. when students belonging to soccer and other clubs were practicing.

Police said five male junior high school students aged 14 and a female senior high school student aged 16 were taken to hospital.

S/ Nearby resident / It was a sound I've never heard before. It went boom! I was astonished. I thought something like an airplane crashed rather than a lightning strike.

Three of the boys were not responsive, and one of them was in cardiopulmonary arrest when transported to a hospital.

Hospital officials said that as of 9 a.m. on April 11, the boy who was in cardiopulmonary arrest was breathing but remained unconscious along with another boy.

One of the three has recovered and was not in life-threatening condition.

The three other students complained of numbness in their limbs and were taken to another hospital, but their injuries were mild.

Police were asking teachers who were supervising the practice about the situation.

The teachers have told police they were considering suspending the practice as the rain began falling hard when the lightning struck.

School officials said they have decided not to hold classes on April 11 and are discussing what steps to take in response to the incident.