DC Swabi says there are rumours that 10 to 15 people have died, but no confirmed information has been received
Peshawar
A powerful cloudburst followed by landslides struck Swabi district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province on Monday, sweeping away homes and displacing residents, officials said.
Deputy Commissioner Swabi, Nasrullah Khan, said the cloudburst occurred in Dalori Bala after heavy rains that began overnight, submerging at least 12 houses.
“It is a village of about 40 to 50 houses, and around 15 to 20 houses have been affected. There are rumours that 10 to 15 people have died, but no confirmed information has come in, nor has any body been brought to us,” he told reporters.
Khan said rescue workers had reached the area on foot because vehicles could not pass through. “We have rescued people trapped inside their homes using boats and ladders,” he said.
The deputy commissioner added that authorities were already on high alert due to heavy rainfall. “We immediately utilised all available resources,” he said, adding that floodwaters had begun to recede. “We are using all machinery at our disposal.”
Rescue teams have also been called in from Haripur and Mardan, as Swabi’s own resources were stretched by operations in nearby Buner. “The commissioner of Mardan is personally supervising all matters,” Khan said. “We are also taking assistance from the Pakistan Army.”
Emergency efforts are continuing in the affected villages, with local authorities warning residents to remain cautious as more rain is expected in the region.
Reports suggested dozens of homes were submerged, and residents sought refuge on rooftops to escape the rising waters. More than 70 stranded people were rescued from the floods, according to local officials.
K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur contacted the Mardan commissioner and other officials, directing Swabi’s deputy commissioner to reach the site immediately and supervise relief operations.
“All available resources and rescue teams must be rushed to the affected area without delay,” Gandapur said in a statement. “Teams from nearby districts should also be deployed. Emergency measures are needed to save lives.”
PDMA confirms 341 deaths in K-P
On the other hand, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said heavy rains and flash floods have caused significant loss of life and property across K-P, with 341 people killed and 178 others injured so far.
The fatalities include 292 men, 28 women, and 21 children, while the injured comprise 144 men, 24 women, and 10 children, according to PDMA figures.
