Flash floods sweep Pakistan's Swat Valley, kill 32

MINGORA, SWAT: Torrential rain triggered flash floods that tore through Pakistan’s northwestern Swat Valley over the weekend, killing at least 32 people and laying bare gaps in disaster preparedness in a region once ravaged by Taliban.

Twelve members of one family were swept away while picnicking along the river in Swat, witnesses said. Phone videos showed relatives clinging to rocks, screaming for help as waters surged around them. “We kept dialling the emergency numbers, but no one came. By the time they did, it was too late… we were pulling out bodies,” local vendor Kabeer said.

The family had travelled from Mardan and remained trapped for over an hour with no rescue teams arriving. “This valley has lived through terrorists, military operations, and devastating floods. Every time, we’re promised lessons will be learned, but nothing ever really changes,” said Khan Sher, a resident of Mingora, recalling Taliban control before the 2009 army offensive and the devastation of the 2010 floods.

Heavy rain pounded Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Balochistan, causing widespread destruction. “Flash floods caught us off-guard in Swat. We’ve retrieved 16 bodies so far from the river. Rescue operations are ongoing,” a rescue official said.

Swat, now a bustling tourist hub, largely escaped the catastrophic 2022 floods that killed over 1,700 nationwide. This time, towns like Bahrain and Kalam, packed with riverside hotels, had little buffer when waters surged. Entire stretches transformed into danger zones within minutes.

Pakistan has championed climate justice on global stages, yet its domestic disaster response remains stretched thin. “Each year we mourn our dead, patch up the roads, and brace for the next disaster,” said Liaquat Bacha, a farmer whose fields were washed away.