SWAT: At least 18 people were reported missing after flash floods, caused by heavy rainfall, swept through Swat River, with officials confirming eight deaths as rescue operations continue across the region.
According to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Rescue 1122, the floods submerged multiple areas, stranding dozens of individuals. Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah confirmed that out of the 18 missing, eight bodies had been recovered while three people were rescued alive. Emergency teams are operating at eight different sites in Swat to search for the remaining victims.
An official statement revealed that 75 individuals were trapped at various locations along the Swat River bypass road. So far, 58 have been rescued, and operations are ongoing. A provincial committee has been formed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In separate efforts, Rescue 1122 teams retrieved three bodies from Ingaroderai and one from Ghalegy. Meanwhile, seven people were stranded in Manyar, where teams from Rescue Stations 44 and 55 are actively working. Another person was stuck in Panjigram, and 20 to 30 people have already been rescued from Bara Bamakhela. A total of 120 emergency personnel have been deployed.
A flood alert was issued by Charsadda’s Deputy Commissioner Qaiser Khan as the Swat River’s discharge level rose to 77,782 cusecs, categorized as “very high flood.” Rescue teams are on standby along the Kabul and Swat Rivers, with mosque announcements warning residents to move to safer areas.
Former Climate Minister Sherry Rehman stressed the need to recognize climate change as the underlying cause, saying these floods are not isolated natural disasters but the result of intensified monsoon patterns due to global warming.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has advised all districts to prepare for further flooding, ensuring evacuation plans, emergency supplies, and monitoring systems are fully activated.
