A schoolgirl in Zimbabwe died within 30 minutes of a black mamba biting her during lessons.
Melody Chiputura, 17, was in a classroom at Rushinga High School in Mashonaland Central when the extremely venomous snake lunged and bit her on her thigh, The Herald-Zimbabwe reported.
Chiputura screamed out for help.
Headteacher Christopher Murenga told the news outlet: "The learners discovered the snake and everyone panicked, with some jumping out through windows."
The girl was rushed to hospital but died before a doctor could see her. Her death occurred within half an hour of being bitten.
Black mambas are one of the most venomous snakes in Africa. They possess a potent venom that can kill a person in just 30 minutes. The species is also one of the fastest snakes in the world, and can slither up to 12.5 miles per hour.
The species is usually shy and reclusive and prefers to flee from humans rather than attack. However, it will attack if it feels provoked or threatened. Black mambas can also be defensive if they are hurt or vulnerable.
School staff were confused as to how the snake got into the classroom, as the building is far away from the long grasses that make the snake's preferred habitat.
But deputy provincial education director Themba Mangwiro told local media that the snake had been spotted by a villager not long before the incident. It is believed that the snake had been attacked by a villager before slithering into the school.
"We suspect that since the learners were on the grounds doing sports, the snake entered the classroom because it was quiet," Mangwiro said.
Chiputura's fellow pupils killed the snake after it bit her.
The girl's father, Joseph Chiputura, found out his daughter had been bitten 10 minutes after it happened.
"When we arrived at the clinic it was too late," he told The Herald-Zimbabwe. "This is hard to accept and it is painful. I don't understand how a snake can get into a classroom and bite my daughter."
Although it is not certain how the black mamba entered the classroom, it is not uncommon for the snakes to slither into buildings. They usually do this in search of shelter on particularly warm days.
The girl's father said she had "great potential" and that she had enjoyed going to school.
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