Swat River tragedy: Nine dead, four missing after 17 swept away by flash floods

• Four individuals rescued so far from Swat River.
• Rescue operation launched immediately after receiving alert.
• Section 144, which prohibits approaching river, is in force.
  

SWAT/PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: At least nine died after 17 individuals were swept away by a sudden surge of high water in the Swat River on Friday morning, drawing condolences from the country's top leadership.

In a statement, Swat Deputy Commissioner Shehzad Mehboob confirmed that rescue authorities have recovered at least nine bodies and rescued four others alive while efforts were underway to locate the remaining four missing persons.

Providing details of the victims, DC Mehboob stated that 10 of the individuals involved in the incident were residents of Sialkot, six belonged to Mardan, while one was a local resident of Swat. 

A wave of mourning swept through Sialkot on Saturday morning when the bodies of seven individuals who lost their lives in the tragic Swat River incident arrived in the city, along with 11 survivors.

Emotional scenes were witnessed when the deceased and survivors reached Daska and the grieving families received the bodies of their loved ones.

Bodies of three of the deceased were taken to Daska Kalan, three to the Lalarian locality, and two others to Mohallah Mohammadpura.

According to rescue officials, the affected individuals hailing from Sialkot was on a leisure trip, having breakfast by the riverbank at around 8am when heavy rains upstream caused an unexpected and rapid increase in water flow. 

"We received information about the drowning of these people around 8am. There were guests on the bypass who were sitting on the bank of the river. These people were not aware of the water relay," a rescue official said.

While four individuals have been successfully pulled to safety and the bodies of five recovered, the search for the remaining missing family members continues amidst challenging conditions.

While speaking to Geo News, Swat DC Mehboob reiterated that Section 144, which prohibits bathing in and approaching the river, is in force.

He expressed concern that despite these restrictions, tourists continue to venture into dangerous areas.

A distraught tourist, who identified himself as a family member, recounted the harrowing ordeal, saying that 10 members of his immediate family were swept away, with the body of one woman found and the search for nine children still underway.

"We were having breakfast and drinking tea, and the children went to take a selfie near the river. At that time, there was not much water in the river," he told Geo News.

He further explained that rescue officials arrived to the scene hours after the incident was reported and failed to rescue the children who were still struggling in the river when rescuers reached the location.

Multiple flood-related incidents in Swat has prompted the deployment of the Pakistan Army for rescue and relief operations.

Troops, fully equipped with necessary gear, have reached Swat and are actively participating in rescue and relief missions alongside Rescue 1122 personnel.

Meanwhile, the KP government has formed an inquiry committee to investigate the causes of the incident.

The chairman of the provincial inspection team will lead the committee, while the Inspector General (IG) of Prisons and the Director of Administration of the Excise Department will serve as its members.

The inquiry panel has been tasked with determining the reasons behind the tragic flash flood incident and identifying any responsible individuals or institutional lapses. The committee has been directed to submit its findings within seven days.

According to the notification, the objective of the inquiry is not only to fix responsibility but also to propose protective and preventive measures to avert such tragedies in the future.

Leaders express deep sorrow

Following the incident, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the deaths of tourists in the flood-hit relay in the Swat River and offered his condolences to the berieved families.

The premier ordered an immediate search operation for the missing persons in the incident.

Additionally, he directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the local administration to issue precautionary measures near rivers and streams amid extreme weather conditions across the country.

President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed deep sorrow and regret over the loss of precious lives due to the flood in Swat

"I express my heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the deceased," said Zardari. "I share the sorrow with the affected families in this hour of grief. May Allah Almighty grant the deceased a place in the realm of mercy and grant patience to those left behind."

Furthermore, Senator Sherry Rehman also expressed grief over loss of precious lives as a result of "an irreparable tragedy" in the Swat River.

"The loss of precious lives in the flood is an irreparable tragedy," said Rehman. 

"My heartfelt sympathy to the affected families in this hour of grief. I pray that as many people as possible can be saved in the rescue operation."

Rain wreaks havoc

This incident comes hours after torrential overnight rains wreaked havoc across Lower Dir and several other Swat districts, leading to widespread flooding in rivers and canals and prompting urgent rescue operations.

In Lower Dir, the intense downpour caused the Panjkora River to swell dangerously, trapping two children and two women who were subsequently rescued.

Additionally, an elderly individual was caught in a rainwater drain, but was safely pulled to safety. 

A rescue spokesman confirmed that a total of five people have been successfully rescued from various perilous situations in Lower Dir.

Meanwhile, the situation in Swat has also been critical, with rescue teams working tirelessly to save individuals stranded by rising water levels. 

Initial reports indicated that at least 70 people were trapped in various locations. So far, rescue authorities have confirmed the successful extraction of 55 individuals who were caught in the fast-flowing channels affected by the floodwaters across different areas of Swat.

Tragically, 10 individuals are reported to have drowned near a local hotel at Bypass Road while three bodies were recovered from the Angro Dherai Canal, and another body was found in Ghalegay, where the search continues for six more missing persons.

Despite the grim news, rescue teams have successfully rescued 22 people trapped in Imam Dherai, and one person caught in a strong water channel in Panjigram was also rescued. 

Furthermore, 30 others were rescued in Bara Bamakhela Matta.