SWABI: A powerful cloudburst followed by landslides struck Swabi district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, causing widespread destruction. Homes were swept away and many residents displaced, according to local officials.
Deputy Commissioner of Swabi, Nasrullah Khan, reported that the cloudburst occurred in Dalori Bala after heavy overnight rains, flooding at least 12 houses. “The village consists of 40 to 50 houses, and about 15 to 20 houses have been affected. There are rumors of 10 to 15 fatalities, but no confirmed information has been received as of yet,” Khan told reporters.
Rescue teams struggled to reach the affected areas due to impassable roads, with efforts mainly conducted on foot. “We have rescued people trapped in their homes using boats and ladders,” Khan added.
Authorities had already been on high alert due to heavy rainfall in the region, and floodwaters began to recede as rescue efforts ramped up. Swabi has called in additional rescue teams from Haripur and Mardan, as local resources were stretched thin by ongoing operations in neighboring Buner. The Pakistan Army has also been deployed to assist in the recovery.
Swabi’s Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, has directed that all available resources be immediately deployed to the affected areas, and he emphasized the urgent need for emergency measures to save lives.
The ongoing rainfall has caused significant damage in other parts of the province as well. Dozens of homes have been submerged, with some residents forced to seek refuge on rooftops to escape rising floodwaters. More than 70 people were rescued from the affected villages, according to local officials.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirmed that at least 670 people have died across Pakistan due to the recent monsoon rains, floods, and landslides. The floods are expected to continue for several more days, with another two to three monsoon spells forecasted to hit the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh.
