On Friday morning, June 27, 2025, a party of visitors was carried away by an abrupt, strong surge of water in the Swat River near Fizagat, resulting in a terrible flash flood that has claimed 18 lives.
When the tragedy occurred, the victims—who were apparently members of two extended families from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—were on the banks of the river having breakfast and taking pictures. Witnesses explained how the river, which had initially appeared calm, quickly became a raging torrent as water levels surged dramatically as a result of heavy pre-monsoon rains in the nearby mountains. The families were attempting to take selfies and movies beside the river when the flood waters came so swiftly that they had no chance to flee, according to locals.
An emergency rescue effort was started by Rescue 1122 teams, Pakistan Army personnel, police, and local volunteers; however, the volume of debris and the force of the river hindered their efforts. Following a laborious search that lasted many hours, the bodies of the 18 people who were washed away were found downstream. Deputy Commissioner Swat Shahzad Mehboob verified that all of the individuals had died. “We are devastated by this incident,” the DC said in a statement to the media. These family moved to the riverbank in spite of numerous warnings and the implementation of Section 144, which forbids bathing or gatherings close to the river because of the risk of flooding. We urge visitors to kindly abide by safety precautions once more.
As the floodwater surged around them, the stranded victims could be seen in heartbreaking videos taken by onlookers clutching desperately to stones in the middle of the river while shouting and waving for aid. A video that went viral on social media showed individuals sobbing as bystanders attempted to toss ropes, but the current was too powerful. Some children were swept away in front of their parents, who were helpless to stop it, according to witnesses. While some of the dead were discovered kilometers downstream in deeper river pools, the majority were recovered by rescue personnel in a matter of hours.
In order to warn of the threats of flash floods in the Swat Valley due to pre-monsoon rainfall, officials from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) stated that an impact-based flood warning had already been issued for the area, valid from June 26 to June 28. Recreational activities including bathing near riverbanks were prohibited by Section 144. Despite these steps, officials acknowledged that it is still difficult to completely enforce them due to the high volume of visitors throughout the summer.
The safety of well-known tourist sites in Pakistan’s northern regions has come under increasing scrutiny as a result of this disaster. More signs, physical barriers, and rigorous surveillance, according to experts, may be required to deter tourists from hazardous river areas, particularly during the monsoon or pre-monsoon seasons. With more rain expected in the next few days, rescue crews are still keeping an eye out for any additional flooding in other areas of the Swat River.
Particularly as climate change increases weather patterns, Pakistan’s mountainous regions are vulnerable to abrupt, catastrophic flash floods. Authorities are asking tourists to follow local safety regulations, pay attention to all warnings, and stay away from areas near swift-moving rivers. In the meantime, local officials have declared their intention to improve awareness campaigns and reevaluate visitor safety management in order to avert such catastrophes.
Authorities have emphasized that no picture or picnic is worth such a terrible loss of life and have once again urged the people to be extremely cautious during the monsoon season.
