By Akhtar Soomro BUNER, Pakistan (Reuters) -Heavy rain in northwest Pakistan halted rescue and relief operations for several hours on Monday before resuming in the northwest region where flash floods have killed over 300 people since Friday,

A Pakistani official says the death toll from flash floods in the country's northwest has risen to at least 274 after rescuers recovered dozens of bodies from the rubble of collapsed houses.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Rescuers are looking for more than 150 people who were still missing on Monday in northwestern Pakistan, where scores died after the area was struck by a cloudburst. A senior politician blamed locals for the high death toll, saying people should have built their homes elsewhere.