Swat floods leaves five people dead, hundreds of tourists stuck

By Muhammad YaseenPublished On 03 Jan 2023

Flash floods following heavy rains took the lives of five people and destroyed multiple houses in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat Valley.

The popular tourist destination was a scene of destruction and chaos after the floods wreaked havoc in the valley severely damaging fields, roads and connecting bridges.

Madain, Bahrain and Kalam were also cut off from the rest of the province after floods water washed away 12 bridges connecting the areas.

According to the province’s disaster management authority, multiple visitors stuck in Kalam and other tourist destinations are being rescued by flood relief teams formed by the army.

Hotels in the area have also been closed down after a flood alert was issued by the district management. Houses and hotels near the Swat River banks in Charsadda were evacuated after water entered there due to high floods. People are being relocated to safer areas.

Tourists visiting the area expressed their disappointment over inability to visit the places they had planned to. “We were on our way to Mahodand but the road was blocked due to landsliding,” one of the tourists said.

“I have come back to the valley after 17 years and wanted to enjoy it but the situation here is very scary,” he added.

Destruction in other parts of KP

A similar ordeal is being faced by people across the province. Over four people drowned after Kunhar River and Siran River flooded in Mansehra and Upper Hazara Division.

In Swabi, five people were killed after the roof of a house collapsed. A low-level flood has also been recorded in the Kabul River in Nowshera.

The KP government has formed a flood control room and two emergency relief centres in the province. People in villages neighbouring areas with flood warnings have been evacuated. The Tehsil Municipal Administration, Irrigation Department, Rescue 1122, police and other line departments have been alerted to deal with flood-related incidents.

More rain this week

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department more rains with thunderstorms are expected in Dir, Swat, Buner, Shangla, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Mardan, Nowshera and Charsadda on Thursday and Friday.

“Heavy falls may trigger landslides in vulnerable areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the period,” it said, adding that precautionary measures should be taken to avoid any more human and material losses.