12 killed, 35 missing as cloudbursts hit Swabi villages

SWABI/GILGIT/ISLAMABAD: Twelve people were killed and another 35 went missing as cloudbursts struck villages in the mountainous region of Gadoon Amazai in Swabi district on Monday, officials said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, meanwhile, pledged the federal government’s complete support for flood-hit communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, announcing the donation of one month’s salary from the federal cabinet to aid relief efforts.

Aqibullah Khan, KP irrigation minister, who visited Dalori along with other officials, said, “Eight bodies were recovered in my presence and more were expected to be recovered while over 33 are missing.” Mardan Division Commissioner Nisar Khan said that eight people were killed and 40 others went missing due to heavy floods triggered by a cloudburst in Daroli Bala area of Gadoon town.

“It was around 8:30am when a cloudburst occurred in the Daroli area of Gadoon town and caused heavy flooding in the area. I personally visited and supervised the rescue and relief operation,” Nisar Khan told The News.

The commissioner said that the cloudbursts happened at multiple places in the mountain area and it moved a lot of debris and boulders which hit around 15 to 20 houses. “As a result, the houses collapsed and the residents got trapped under the debris. Around eight bodies were recovered till 5pm on Monday while residents told us that 40 people were still missing,” Nisar Khan said. He said heavy machinery, excavators, loaders, tractors and Rescue 1122 vehicles had been moved to the affected area.

“But till 3pm, it was not possible for any heavy vehicle to cross the river flood flowing in between, which has cut off the area. But now the vehicles have reached there and the rescue operation is going on,” the commissioner said.

Deputy Commissioner Nasrullah Khan also confirmed that the funeral prayers for eight people, including a woman and two children, were offered. He said that 12 houses submerged in Dalori village due to cloudbursts, and several people were killed.

The official said the flow of the flashfloods from the cloudburst was fast and due to the mountainous area, landslides also occurred at various places. He said that cloudburst and landslides wreaked havoc on Gadoon Amazai, where houses were submerged, while many people were swept away by the flashfloods. Rescue teams were called in from Haripur and Mardan for assistance. The police and volunteers also reached the site. Floodwater damaged houses, shops and petrol pumps in Topi tehsil near the industrial Estate of Gadoon Amazai.

The flash flood swept away a causeway connecting Topi city with Kalabat and Marghuz village, causing difficulties to commuters. In Topi Tehsil, dozens of houses were swept away by the floodwater. In Razar Tehsil, two persons drowned in floodwater.

Meanwhile, the torrential rains inundated low-lying areas of the Mardan city, flooding houses and shops and crippling daily life. In Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), at least 39 people — including locals, tourists and volunteers — have lost their lives in recent flash floods, according to the provincial government’s spokesperson Faizullah Faraq.

Meanwhile, six people lost their lives in separate vehicle accidents in Rawalakot and the Neelum River. According to police, a car was swept into a drain near the University of Poonch’s Tarar Campus in Rawalakot, resulting in the death of a female lecturer. Authorities stated that the lecturer’s vehicle stalled while crossing a drain near the campus and was carried away due to a sudden surge in water levels. The deceased, identified as Dr Gul Lala, was a resident of a suburban area of Rawalakot. Police added that search operations have been launched to locate Dr Gul Lala, who was inside the submerged vehicle.

In a separate incident in Grace Valley, another car plunged into the Neelum River, killing five individuals. Rescue efforts are underway. Meanwhile, intermittent rainfall persists at eight locations across upper and lower regions of Azad Jammu & Kashmir’s Neelum Valley, including Jagran Valley, Upper Neelum, Lawat Bala, Sharda, Arang Kel, Grace and Shounter valleys.

Meanwhile, restoration work continues on roads and bridges in flood-affected areas of AJK. The Neelum Highway from Muzaffarabad to Taobat has been fully reopened for all types of traffic, authorities confirmed.

Under the influence of the seventh monsoon spell, a fresh wave of rainfall has also begun across various cities in Punjab, raising flood risks at multiple locations. Meanwhile, a landslide occurred on the Expressway in Murree. The public was advised to avoid unnecessary travel.

Following the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) is on high alert, according to the PDMA DG. A low-level flood is currently passing through the Sutlej River, as reported by the Flood Warning Centre in Kasur. Heavy rainfall across Sukkur, Khairpur and surrounding areas has disrupted daily life, inundating streets and suspending power supply for prolonged periods.

Chairing a meeting to review ongoing relief efforts by federal government in flood-affected areas of KP, GB and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the prime minister directed the federal institutions to intensify efforts to assist affected people in various districts of KP.

“In this hour of calamity, there is no federal or provincial government; we must ensure the assistance and rehabilitation of affected people,” he said. He said this was not a time for politics but for service and healing the wounds of the people.

He directed all the relevant federal ministers to remain in affected areas until the last person received assistance and basic infrastructure was restored. During the meeting, the prime minister and other participants prayed for the departed souls and speedy recovery of the injured.

The meeting was briefed on the ongoing relief activities by the NDMA and federal ministers designated by the prime minister. It was informed that the federal government, provincial governments, Pakistan Army and other institutions had established 456 relief camps and conducted 400 rescue operations so far.

The meeting was told that relief trucks carrying essential items were being dispatched, while the prime minister directed that convoys be prioritised for the hardest-hit areas. According to the preliminary estimates, damages to public and private property exceeded around Rs126 million.

The meeting was informed that the monsoon season will continue until the second week of September, with six major spells already passed and two more expected, with effects lasting until the last week of September.

Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam briefed on the situation in Swat, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Khan Leghari on the KP, Special Assistant Mubarak Zeb on Bajaur, NHA chairman on Malakand, and Secretary Communications on Gilgit.

Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yusuf, Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Watto, Dr Musadik Malik and other officials updated the meeting on relief activities as per the prime minister’s instructions.

The meeting was also attended by federal ministers Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, PM’s Chief Coordinator Mosharraf Zaidi and other senior officials.

The KP government, meanwhile, declared flood emergencies in nine districts, with the chief secretary overseeing relief and recovery efforts, said officials on Monday. According to a handout, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur chaired a high-level meeting to review relief and rehabilitation efforts in flood-hit districts.

The provincial government has released Rs1.5 billion for relief activities and another Rs1.5 billion for restoring damaged infrastructure. Additional staff and medical teams have been deployed in affected districts.

It was informed that so far, 100 damaged roads had been cleared with heavy machinery, over 23,000 ready-to-eat food packs distributed, and essential items including 2,860 tents, 6,100 mattresses, 2,700 hygiene kits, 4,300 kitchen sets, 3,100 tarpaulins, 7,400 mosquito nets, 6,800 blankets and 500 gas cylinders delivered.

The chief minister was told that mobile medical units were operational, with two mobile hospitals dispatched to Buner. Emergency control rooms have been set up, while dewatering pumps are being used to clear waterlogged areas. Rescue 1122 has successfully evacuated more than 5,000 people, and emergency relief camps have been established in severely affected districts.

The meeting was apprised that compensation for fatalities and injuries was being disbursed in the first phase, while surveys were underway to assess property, livestock, and business losses.

The chief minister directed that all compensation payments be completed swiftly and that surveys be finalized with accurate data collection. He emphasized replacing food handouts with cash support so victims can meet their own urgent needs, stressing that payments will be made through a transparent, Nadra-verified mechanism.

Gandapur also ordered that district administrations should not face a shortage of funds and that resources be made available immediately when required. Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider has warned that two additional monsoon spells—expected to be even more intense—are approaching Pakistan.

The current monsoon season has so far claimed 670 lives, left nearly 1,000 injured, and left 80-90 people missing, with search operations ongoing. “Further cloudbursts and regional rainfall are predicted, with two more intense monsoon spells expected,” he added. The NDMA chairman assured that the situation is likely to normalise by September but urged authorities and citizens to remain vigilant during this critical period.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s top leadership has expressed condolences over the loss of lives caused by torrential rains and floods in Pakistan. King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent condolence messages to President Asif Ali Zardari.

They extended sympathies to the families of the victims, wished speedy recovery for the injured, and safe return of the missing. The Saudi leadership also offered full support and assistance for flood relief efforts, praying for the safety, stability and swift recovery of the people of Pakistan from this natural disaster.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson expressed deep condolences over loss of lives caused by flash floods in different parts of Pakistan. “We have noted the severe rainfall disasters in multiple regions, which have caused casualties and property losses. We express our deep condolences for the deceased and extend our sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured,” Mao Ning said during her regular briefing in Beijing.

She said that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has also conveyed his condolences to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.

“We believe the Pakistani people will surely overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes,” she added. Mao Ning said, “At present, we are not aware of any Chinese citizens having lost their lives in the disaster. Our embassy in Pakistan is still working to verify the situation.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed deep sorrow at the tragic loss of lives in Pakistan, saying the world body stands ready to provide help if requested.

“The Secretary-General offers his sincere condolences to the victims’ families and stands in solidarity with those affected by this disaster,” a statement issued by his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

“We stand ready to provide assistance should it be requested,” the statement added. Meanwhile, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) extended vital support to ongoing relief operations in flood-affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In this regard, a total of 48 tonnes of relief goods arranged by an NGO were airlifted from Karachi to Peshawar through an Air Eagle B-737 aircraft.

By establishing an air bridge, the PAF has ensured the swift transportation of urgently needed supplies to support relief efforts in the flood-hit districts of Buner and Shangla.The consignment comprising essential dry ration will be distributed among affected families in close coordination with the NDMA. This humanitarian mission reflects Pakistan Air Force’s enduring commitment to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the nation, not only in safeguarding the aerial frontiers of the country but also in providing timely assistance to fellow countrymen in times of crisis, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said.