Schools told to avoid stampede repeat, compensation agreed

The families of students who died during a stampede at a school in central China on Monday will each receive compensation of around 350,000 yuan ($51,000), the local government said late last night.

"By 6 pm today (Wednesday), the school has reached agreements with all families of the dead students," read a statement posted on the official website of Xiangxiang city government following the tragedy that killed eight at the school in Xiangxiang, Hunan province.

The statement said the compensation was the maximum amount possible and equal for all students.