18 of family drown as flash floods sweep Swat in northwest Pak, 12 bodies recovered

Peshawar, Jun 27 (PTI) At least 18 members of a family, who were part of a tourist group, on Friday drowned in flash floods in the Swat River in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, rescue officials said.

So far, 12 bodies have been recovered after the flash flood near the GE Qurban Hotel on the Swat Bypass caused devastating losses, they said.

The provincial government launched extensive rescue operations, involving 120 rescue workers at eight different locations across Swat.

Six bodies were recovered from the Swat Bypass near GE Qurban Hotel, three from Angro Dheri, and three from the Swat Bypass Relax Hotel, officials said.

The family that drowned was part of a tourist group visiting the region and was trapped in the rising waters caused by heavy rains upstream.

The Swat is a perennial river in the northern region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Flash floods prompted by heavy rain in Swat district have engulfed several areas, leaving dozens stranded, officials said.

Bilal Faizi, spokesman for Rescue 1122, said 80 people were stranded in flash floods at various points along the Swat River, of whom 63 have been rescued.

To prevent further incidents, all hotels, restaurants, and commercial activities near the Swat River have been closed.

The provincial government emphasised that, due to monsoon rains, a ban on recreational activities in rivers remains in effect throughout the province.

The local administration has launched extensive 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 entering river areas and to strictly follow the safety guidelines issued by the administration to prevent further tragedies.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government suspended three administrative officers in the wake of the untoward incident. PTI AYZ RD SCY GSP ZH GSP GSP