A tragedy unfolded in the Pakistani city of Peshawar when the roof of a private school in the Dir Colony area collapsed during lessons. According to preliminary reports, dozens of people were killed, including children and teachers. The rescue operation is ongoing, reports infohub.kz.
Local authorities told the BBC that the emergency occurred on October 15. According to those reports, at least 18 students and one teacher were killed. Another 40 people were injured, some of them critically. There are fears that several children remain trapped under the rubble.
A representative of Lady Reading Hospital, Mohammad Asim, specified that all the deceased students were under the age of 13.
The Times of India reports different casualty figures: 29 killed, including one female teacher. Rescue teams continue to work at the site, clearing the rubble in search of children and school staff.
The publication notes that building and roof collapses are common in Pakistan, mainly due to low safety standards and the use of substandard construction materials.