At least nine people lost their lives and several remain missing after a group of 17 tourists was swept away by a sudden surge in the Swat River on Friday morning. The tragic incident occurred near Bypass Road in Mingora when a flash flood, triggered by heavy upstream rainfall, caught the group unawares as they were having breakfast along the riverbank.
Swat Deputy Commissioner Shehzad Mehboob confirmed that nine bodies had been recovered, while four individuals were rescued alive. Search and rescue operations are ongoing under treacherous conditions to locate the remaining four missing persons.
According to district officials, the victims included ten individuals from Sialkot, six from Mardan, and one resident of Swat. The Sialkot group, reportedly on a leisure trip, had no prior warning of the sudden and deadly rise in the river’s water level.
Eyewitnesses reported that the river had appeared calm earlier in the morning, before surging without warning and sweeping away several people. A surviving relative described the horrifying moment when the water engulfed their family. “Ten members of my immediate family, including women and children, were swept away in front of my eyes,” he said, expressing frustration over what he called the delayed response by rescue teams.
Despite the enforcement of Section 144 — which prohibits approaching or bathing in the river — officials noted that tourists often disregard safety advisories. Deputy Commissioner Mehboob urged the public to heed official warnings, particularly during the monsoon season, and avoid venturing close to riverbanks.
Pakistan Army personnel have since been deployed to assist Rescue 1122 teams in the ongoing operation. Troops equipped with emergency gear are working to locate and recover the missing. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and local administrations to intensify rescue operations and issue urgent advisories to the public.
President Asif Ali Zardari extended his condolences to the bereaved families, praying for the departed souls. Senator Sherry Rehman called the incident an "irreparable national tragedy" and advocated for stronger public awareness campaigns and safety mechanisms during periods of extreme weather.
The disaster in Swat coincided with widespread flooding in other districts following intense overnight rainfall. In Lower Dir, rising waters from the Panjkora River trapped several people, including two children and two women, who were later rescued. An elderly man caught in a flood drain was also saved.
Elsewhere in Swat, rescue teams reported saving 55 individuals stranded by rising floodwaters. Ten bodies were confirmed recovered near a hotel on Bypass Road, while others were found in Angro Dherai Canal and Ghalegay.
Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and to avoid rivers and streams as weather conditions remain unstable. Emergency response teams are on high alert as the monsoon season continues to pose significant threats to life and property in the region.