Swat flash floods: 4 tourists rescued, 11 bodies recovered, search continues for 3 missing

SWAT: Rescue teams continue their search for three missing tourists swept away by flash floods in the Swat River, as 11 bodies have been recovered so far, ARY News reported on Saturday.

According to Deputy Commissioner Swat, Shahzad Mehboob, a total of 17 people were caught in a sudden surge of water while gathered near the riverbank.

DC Mehboob stated that among the victims, 10 were residents of Daska in Punjab, six were from Mardan, and one was a local resident of Swat.

He confirmed that rescue operations are ongoing to locate the remaining three missing tourists — two from Punjab and one from Mardan — while three individuals have been successfully rescued.

According to rescue officials, the affected individuals hailing from Punjab were 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.

After breakfast, the tourists went to a dry riverbed to take photos when suddenly they were surrounded by a brutal surge of water.

The group tried to save themselves by climbing to higher ground and called for help, but the river’s current was too strong for anyone to intervene effectively.

“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.

Last month, at least 24 people were killed in severe storms in Pakistan, which experienced several extreme weather events in the spring, including strong hailstorms.

Pakistan is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million inhabitants are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency.