Torrential rain, hailstorm kills 16 in Pakistan

At least 16 people, including nine children, were killed and over 80 others injured today in Peshawar, capital of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as roofs and walls of buildings collapsed due to heavy rain.
According to reports, 10 people, including six children and two women, were killed and 50 others injured when the roof of a madrasa and boundary walls collapsed in the city.
Six more persons died in the similar incidents in other areas. The badly hit areas of the city included Akhundabad, Gujjarabad, Wazirbagh, Faqirabad and other suburban areas.
The death toll might go up as the rescue workers were still busy in rescue work.

Assistant Commissioner Peshawar Mumataz Ahmed confirmed the casualties.
The dead and injured were shifted to Lady Reading Hospital, where the condition of some of the injured are stated to be critical, officials said.

The heavy rain caused flooding in low lying areas creating problems for the rescuers. The main roads were also faced rising water resulting in traffic jams.
As the city faced the disaster the chief minister was away in the national capital to take part in the protest of Imran Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf rules the province.
Opposition leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain rebuked the provincial government for failing to care for the people when they needed it most.

According to weather forecast department, more rain are expected in the region.
Deputy Commissioner Zaheerul Islam's said an emergency has been declared in all hospitals to meet any untoward incident due to further rains.