Sixty-four of those children are reported to have suffered skin lesions. A source form the Maritime Police said two of the children had been admitted to hospital but stressed the symptoms had nothing to do with the conditions on the beach.
Comandante Mário Domingues said the symptoms were instead related to an allergy caused by the pine processionary caterpillar.
The alarm was raised at around 11.30am on Tuesday morning, with INEM emergency medics, firefighters and the Maritime Police rushing to the spot.