SWAT – At least 18 people including 10 from a single family have swept away in Swat River flash floods, the rescue officials said on Friday.
The rescue teams said they have recovered recovered four bodies and three individuals have been rescued alive while 11 people remain missing as search operations continue under challenging conditions.
Adnan, a tourist from Daska whose family was among the victims, recounted the tragedy.
“Four women and six children from my family were swept away. Alongside us, three more people drowned. We were having breakfast by the river when the flash flood struck, leaving no time to escape,” he said.
According to the rescue officials, around 80 personnel are engaged in the ongoing rescue operation. Despite fast-flowing water and poor weather conditions, the efforts to locate the missing continue. So far, four bodies — including two children — have been retrieved from the river.
Director General of Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Shah Fahad, confirmed that three people stranded in different locations were successfully rescued. “The water level in the Swat River remains dangerously high, and search operations are underway in five separate areas,” he added.
Reports suggest that heavy monsoon rains caused flash floods in local streams, submerging nearby areas and catching residents and tourists off guard.
The local authorities have issued warnings to both locals and tourists to avoid visiting riverbanks and flood-prone zones. Further rainfall is expected in Swat and surrounding regions over the next few days, heightening the risk of additional flooding.
A day earlier, the rescue officials said that three people died and several others went missing after being swept away by the flash floods Swat river.
The rescue teams are using specialized equipment to navigate through dangerous conditions as they continue to locate the missing individuals.
In a separate incident in Lower Dir, five people including two women, two children and one man were stranded in the seasonal streams of Munda and Khazana following sudden flooding.
Rescue 1122 along with the local welfare organizations launched an operation to safely evacuate those trapped by the floodwaters. The efforts are underway to ensure their rescue without injuries.
The authorities urged the residents in flood-prone areas to exercise caution and stay away from the rivers and seasonal streams during the monsoon.
On the other hand, widespread rains with isolated heavy falls are predicted in Peshawar and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), moist currents from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal penetrated the most parts of Pakistan. A westerly wave also prevailed over the upper parts.
Under these weather conditions, widespread rains and gusty winds with isolated heavy falls are predicted in Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Bajaur, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Kohat, Karak, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Waziristan, Orakzai, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Hangu and Kurram.
Heavy rains may generate flash floods in local nullahs/streams of Galiyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Nowshera and Swabi. Bursts of heavy rains may cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Nowshera, Charsadda and Peshawar. Landslides may cause road closures in the vulnerable hilly areas. Heavy rains, windstorms, and lightning may damage dilapidated buildings, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels.
Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa weather: More rains, heavy falls predicted
