ISLAMABAD, June 27 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and nine others remained missing after flash floods swept away two families who had ventured into the Swat River in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday morning, local officials confirmed.
The incident occurred near G Qurban restaurant on Bypass Road in Babuzai tehsil of Swat district at around 8:30 a.m. local time, when members of two families, one from Daska and the other from Mardan, entered the river for recreation, according to the local administration.
"A sudden surge in water levels caused by flash flooding from heavy rains in the upper areas of Swat overwhelmed the visitors, sweeping 18 individuals into the current," Shahzad Mehboob, deputy commissioner of Swat, told Xinhua.
Rescue 1122 teams, in coordination with local volunteers and police, quickly launched a search and rescue operation. Three people were rescued alive in the immediate aftermath, while six bodies have since been recovered, officials said.
Nine people remained unaccounted for as of the latest update. A large-scale search effort, extending downstream towards Malakand district, is underway to locate the missing.
"The district administration is fully engaged in rescue and recovery efforts," Mehboob said, adding that senior civil officials, including the deputy commissioner, assistant commissioners, and law enforcement personnel, were personally overseeing the operation.
Police secured the site and facilitated crowd control as emergency teams continued their efforts despite the challenging terrain and water conditions.
"The safety of citizens is our top priority. We urge the public to avoid entering rivers and streams during this period of unpredictable weather," Mehboob added. ■
