Javed Aziz Khan
MINGORA/PESHAWAR: At least nine people lost their lives and four others went missing after a group of 17 tourists were swept away by a sudden surge in the Swat River on Friday morning.
The tragic incident occurred near the Bypass Road in Mingora, when a flash flood triggered by heavy upstream rains caught the group by surprise as they were having breakfast along the riverbank.
Swat Deputy Commissioner Shehzad Mehboob confirmed that nine bodies had been recovered while four people were rescued. “The rescue teams are searching for the four missing persons,” he added.
According to the district administration, 10 of the victims belonged to Sialkot, six were from Mardan and one was a resident of Swat. The group from Sialkot was on a leisure trip and had no prior warning of the rapid rise in the water level.
Eyewitness accounts suggested that the water appeared calm earlier in the morning, but surged quickly, sweeping several people away. A surviving relative, speaking to the media, described how the family was engulfed by the floodwaters.
He said that 10 members of his immediate family, including women and children, were among those swept away. The survivor expressed his anguish over the delayed arrival of rescue services, adding that by the time the teams reached the site, many of the victims had already vanished into the current.
A video doing rounds on social media showed the stranded tourists being swept away one by one by the gushing waters, with death seemingly inevitable. Following the incident, Pakistan Army personnel were deployed to assist in the search and rescue operations.
Equipped with emergency gear, the troops joined Rescue 1122 in efforts to locate and recover missing persons. Despite the enforcement of Section 144, which prohibits approaching or bathing in the river, officials lamented that many tourists continued to ignore safety warnings.
The deputy commissioner emphasised the importance of following safety guidelines, especially during monsoon and urged visitors to avoid venturing near riverbanks. The provincial government suspended four officials after the tragic drowning incident in Swat. An official said the suspensions were made with immediate effect on the directives of KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
The suspended officials included Additional Deputy Commissioner (Relief) Ihsanul Haq, Assistant Commissioner of Babuzai Nida Iqbal, Khwaza Khela Assistant Commissioner Amir Khan, and District Emergency Officer of Rescue 1122 Swat, Saad Khan. An inquiry was launched by the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team to fix responsibility.
Meanwhile, the KP government had released a preliminary report on the damages and rescue operations following flash floods in Swat. According to the report, at around 8:30 am on Friday, 18 persons were caught in a sudden flash flood near Ji Qurban Hotel on the Swat Bypass.
“Upon receiving the alert, a rescue operation was launched. Three individuals were rescued, while the bodies of six others were recovered during a joint operation conducted by Rescue 1122, the district administration, and local volunteers,” the communique said, adding, nine people remained missing, and search efforts were ongoing up to the boundaries of Malakand district. The victims belonged to Daska (Punjab) and Mardan
The chief minister expressed profound sorrow over the tragic loss of lives and announced compensation for the families of the deceased. He also called for a detailed report on the damages and directed the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident.
The report noted that over 10 individuals drowned near Relax Hotel on the Swat Bypass, with rescue teams continuing search operations at the site.
Three more bodies were recovered from Angro Dheri and Imam Dheri. Elsewhere, as many as 22 people trapped in floodwaters were rescued. In Ghalegay, seven individuals were stranded—one body was recovered, and search efforts for the remaining individuals were underway.
Similarly, seven individuals were reported trapped in Maniyar, where rescue operations were ongoing.
In Panjigram, one person remained stuck in floodwaters, and rescue efforts were in progress. In Bara Bamakhel, Matta, 20 to 30 people trapped in a flash flood were rescued. Overall, the report stated that a total of 75 individuals were stranded at various points along the Swat River near the bypass road. Rescue efforts saved 58 people, while eight bodies were recovered. Ten individuals remained missing at the time of the report.
Rescue operations were ongoing at eight different locations across Swat, involving 105 personnel. To prevent further incidents, all hotels, restaurants, and commercial activities near the Swat River were closed.
The provincial government emphasized that, due to the monsoon rains, a Section 144 ban on recreational activities in rivers remained in effect throughout the province.
The local administration also launched awareness campaigns via various media platforms, urging tourists and the public to stay away from water channels and adopt precautionary measures.
The provincial government appealed to the public and tourists to avoid river areas and strictly follow safety guidelines issued by the administration to prevent further tragedies. Also, President Asif Ali Zardari extended his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the deceased. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and local authorities to intensify rescue operations and issue urgent precautionary advisories near rivers and streams. Senator Sherry Rehman termed the incident an irreparable national tragedy and called for stronger public awareness and safety mechanisms during extreme weather events.
