A picnic turned into a nightmare in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as sudden flash floods claimed nine lives; rescue ops continue amid rising questions on safety preparedness.
June 28, 2025: In a heartbreaking incident in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, a family outing ended in tragedy when nine of eighteen family members were swept away by sudden flash floods in the Swat River on Friday morning. The incident occurred in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and rescue operations are underway across five locations.
A chilling video shows a group of people stranded on scattered rocks, surrounded by strong river currents.
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A Country where helicopter reaches to dry the Cricket ground in few minutes. Yet can't reach in Several hours to save human lives. #Swat pic.twitter.com/vJAPDQnPJ6
— Aima Khan (@aima_kh) June 27, 2025
“They went to take selfies…”
According to a survivor from the group, the family was enjoying breakfast near the river, while children played and took selfies. “There was not much water at that time. Suddenly, the water level surged and swept the children away. The current was so powerful it felt like a dam had burst,” he told Reuters.
He also added that it took over two hours for official rescue teams to reach the site.
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Rescue Underway, PM Responds
Shah Fahad, Director General of Rescue 1122, said that 80 personnel are actively involved in search and rescue operations across five different sites. Officials stated they received the first emergency call around 8 am, but noted that the group was unaware of the water relay that caused the sudden flooding.
By the time help arrived, four people had already been swept away.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and directed local officials to enhance safety measures around rivers and tourist spots. A statement from his office emphasized the need to tighten regulations and monitoring around water bodies during the monsoon season.
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This tragedy highlights the growing threat posed by flash floods, particularly in mountainous tourist regions. As extreme weather events become more common, officials and citizens alike face increasing pressure to balance recreation with preparedness and safety.
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Pakistan flash flood, Swat River tragedy, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, family swept away in flood, flash flood Pakistan video, rescue 1122, Shehbaz Sharif, flash flood selfie incident, Pakistan tourist safety