At least 28 people, including 27 students and a teacher, have died after a school roof collapsed during lessons in Peshawar, north-western Pakistan, authorities said.
Most of the students killed were under the age of 13, while officials warned that the death toll could rise as rescue efforts continued.
Most of the victims were brought dead to Lady Reading Hospital, alongside 20 injured people, hospital spokesperson Mohammad Asim said.
The collapse occurred at the private Al-Khair Education Center in Dir Colony. Rescue teams were working to recover bodies and transport injured students to hospitals, government official Bilal Faizi said.
According to a rescue official, the roof of an upper floor collapsed onto the first-floor roof, which then gave way, trapping students inside their classrooms.
Television footage showed ambulances arriving at the scene as rescue workers pulled bloodied children from the debris.
District emergency officer Iftikhar Khan said rescuers had recovered at least 45 children from the rubble, adding that more students were believed to remain trapped.
Ojo Triumph
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