Flash floods claim three lives in Khyber as 13 rescued

PESHAWAR: Flash flooding caused by heavy rain killed three Afghan nationals in Khyber district, while rescue workers pulled 13 other people to safety after their vehicle was swept away in the Niki Khel area of Landi Kotal, according to Rescue 1122 officials.

Officials said the vehicle was carrying 16 people when fast-moving floodwater engulfed it at Niki Khel. Rescue 1122 launched what it described as a swift, coordinated operation and managed to save 13 occupants. The remaining three people died in the flooding.

The rescue effort continued for several hours before teams recovered all three bodies. The survivors and the deceased were shifted to Hamza Baba Camp, where the injured and other affected people were provided medical treatment, food and other essential support.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority also assisted by supplying coffins and other required items for the deceased. After coordination with the Afghan Consulate in Peshawar, legal and travel formalities were completed. The 13 survivors were later moved to the Torkham border, while the three bodies were handed over to Afghan authorities at Zero Point through ambulances arranged by Afghan officials.

Rain damage in Bara and Jamrud

Elsewhere in Khyber district, heavy rain also affected Bara and Jamrud tehsils. Streams swelled after the downpour, causing several houses and boundary walls to collapse.

No deaths had been reported from those areas at the time of the last update. The Khyber district administration has meanwhile intensified relief and rescue work in response to the situation.