Kathmandu, October 15
The death toll from the collapse of a private school roof in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Thursday has risen to 35.
The deceased include 34 students and a female teacher. All the children were aged 13 or below.
The incident occurred in the Dir Colony area. More than 40 people were injured in the accident. A medical emergency has been declared at hospitals treating the injured, with doctors and other health workers deployed to the trauma wards.
Crowds gathered on the school premises shortly after the incident. Search and rescue operations are underway amid fears that several people remain trapped under the debris.
Pakistani soldiers have also joined rescue and relief agencies in the operation. They are helping pull children and school staff trapped under the rubble to safety and transport them to hospitals.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expresses grief
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the incident. Extending condolences to the bereaved families, he prayed that they would find the strength to endure this difficult time.
The prime minister wished the injured a speedy recovery and directed officials to ensure the best possible medical care for them and expedite rescue operations.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed grief over the incident and extended condolences to the families of the deceased children.
Describing the loss of innocent young lives as an extremely tragic incident, he wished the injured a speedy recovery and directed the concerned authorities to provide them with the best possible medical treatment.
He also sought a detailed report from officials on the school roof collapse and directed them to determine the exact cause of the accident.
The post 35 killed, over 40 injured in school roof collapse in Pakistan appeared first on OnlineKhabar English News.