Latest news with #SwatValley
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
More than 300 people dead in Pakistan after heavy rains, floods
People gather near a damaged vehicle and scattered debris after the road washed out following a flash flood in Mingora, the main city of Swat Valley, in monsoon-hit northern Pakistan's mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on August 16, 2025. Photo: AFP / MEHBOOB UL HAQ More than 300 people are dead in northwest Pakistan after two days of intense rains and floods, local officials said. Rescue efforts and clearing of blocked roads were ongoing with the release of emergency funds, they said Saturday (local time), adding that the heavy rains would continue until 21 August. Cloud bursts, flash floods, lightning strikes, landslides, and the collapse of buildings caused the most deadly spell of this year's monsoon season. By early Saturday, 307 were confirmed dead, with more people missing, in the hills and mountains of the region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority. Not only Pakistan but also parts of neighbouring India and Nepal have been hit hard by heavy rains, flooding and other rain-related incidents over the past week. Buner district, a three-and-a-half hour drive north from Pakistan's capital Islamabad in normal times, was among the country's worst-hit, with 184 killed and widespread damage to infrastructure, crops and orchards, local officials said. A cloud burst, fallen trees and flash floods swept away people and possessions. People, including women and children, remained trapped by floodwaters in some areas of Buner, with 93 bodies recovered. In another area, Shangla, the collapse of the roof of a building due to the downpour caused many of the 34 deaths, said provincial Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah. He said that local officials had been dispatched to the flooded areas to supervise relief operations and assess the damage. Medical camps, he said, were being established for the flood victims, along with arrangements for families who lost their homes to be provided with cooked meals. Shah said that heavy machinery would be deployed to clear and restore roads. Ishaq Dar, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister, said that civilian and military teams were carrying out rescue and relief operations, while the prime minister had chaired an emergency meeting. "Our hearts go out to the families who have lost loved ones, to those who are injured, and many whose homes and livelihoods have been swept away," Dar said in a statement on social media. On Friday, a rescue helicopter had crashed due to bad weather, killing the five crew members. - Reuters
Arab News
07-08-2025
- General
- Arab News
Four workers rescued after emerald mine collapse in northwest Pakistan
PESHAWAR: At least four workers trapped nearly 900 feet underground in an emerald mine in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province were rescued during an operation, rescue officials said on Thursday. The mine collapse occurred in the Babuzai area of Swat Valley, a region famed for producing emeralds with deep green hues. Despite its potential, Pakistan's mining sector is plagued by outdated practices and lax safety standards that frequently put workers at risk. 'Rescue 1122 successfully rescued four workers from the emerald mine,' its spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi said in a statement. 'Rescue 1122 medical teams are providing immediate medical aid to the workers in ambulances.' Faizi said the operation, which involved around 40 personnel and lasted several hours, was made successful due to 'trained personnel and modern equipment.' There was no official confirmation on what caused the mine collapse. State-run media reported that Pakistan Army rescue teams also took part in the effort. Poor enforcement of safety protocols has led to repeated accidents in Pakistan's mining industry, particularly in coal operations, where dozens of miners die each year in explosions and collapses. Miners often complain that owners fail to install even basic protective equipment. In January, rescuers recovered the bodies of 11 coal miners who died after a methane gas explosion caused a mine collapse in southwestern Pakistan.
Arab News
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Arab News
Pakistan offers condolences as Texas floods death toll rises to 50
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered condolences to US President Donald Trump this week as the death toll from flash floods in Texas rose to 50, with American rescuers continuing the search for missing persons. The flooding began in Texas on Friday — the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend — as months' worth of rain fell in a matter of hours. The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that more rain has been forecast, and that 'excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.' 'Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the tragic flash floods in Texas, USA,' Sharif wrote on the social media platform X on Saturday night. 'Hope the ongoing rescue efforts will be successful in saving more people from this natural calamity.' Deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the tragic flash floods in Texas, USA. Hope the ongoing rescue efforts will be successful in saving more people from this natural calamity. Having suffered a similar incident in north west Pakistan just a few days ago, we can… — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) July 5, 2025 Monsoon rains have wreaked havoc in several parts of Pakistan since June 26, with the country reporting at least 66 deaths and 127 injuries due to rain-related incidents. A deadly flash flood in the scenic Swat Valley, caused by a sudden rise in water levels due to monsoon rains, killed 13 members of a single tourist family last week. 'Having suffered a similar incident in northwest Pakistan just a few days ago, we can fully understand the pain and suffering of the bereaved families,' Sharif said. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with President Trump @realDonaldTrump and the American nation at this difficult time,' he added. Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual. But scientists say that in recent years that human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves more frequent and more intense. With additional input from AFP
The Independent
30-06-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Outrage after family of 13 swept away in Pakistan floods amid rescue delays
As many as 13 members of one family have died in Pakistan after they were swept away by floodwaters while they waited for rescue. The death toll from torrential monsoon rains has reached 45 across the country, but the incident with the family in Swat Valley has sparked outrage after videos shared online showed them waving desperately, standing on a boulder in the middle of a raging river as rising waters surged around them. The family were having a picnic breakfast by the Swat River and the children were in the water taking photos when a flash flood occurred, district administrator Shehzad Mahboob said. 'The river was dry then, but within minutes the water surged. By 9.45am, the river had risen dramatically,' Shah Fahad, director general of Rescue 1122, told Dawn. A relative of the family, who did not give his name, told Reuters TV: "They went to take some selfies. There was not much water at that time. Suddenly floodwaters came and swept away the children. The water current was so strong that it looked like a dyke had been breached.' Residents said the victims waited more than two hours for official rescue services to arrive. "They had been screaming and crying for two hours for help," said a local and eyewitness Shiraz Khan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department confirmed on Friday that 'four government officials, including the assistant commissioner of Bahrain, have been suspended' over the failure to respond to the family's pleas, calling the incident a 'tragic and disheartening lapse.' 'At least 32 people have died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province since the rains began, including 14 in Swat district alone,' provincial spokesperson Mohammad Aslam told Geo News. Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif "expressed his grief over the tourists' deaths," his office said in a statement. In Punjab, 13 deaths were reported, mostly from house collapses caused by the relentless downpours, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. Lightning strikes in Sindh and flash floods in Balochistan also claimed lives. Pakistan's Meteorological Department has forecast more intense monsoon rains to come, warning of further flash flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh. 'Urban flooding in low-lying areas is expected, and residents should remain on high alert,' the agency said in a statement. The Swat tragedy comes amid a grim monsoon season: in April, violent storms killed at least 380 people nationwide. Last year catastrophic floods submerged a third of the country, displacing millions and destroying critical infrastructure. Former climate minister Sherry Rehman said on X: 'Outrageous negligence in Swat. PDMA and district authorities must answer why rescue did not arrive. These were avoidable deaths.' In another post, Ms Rahman said: 'The tragic drowning of several people in the River Swat is NOT the result of a random "natural disaster". '70 people were trapped in 7 different locations. 6 dead bodies have been recovered. 52 people have been rescued. So far. We need to UNDERSTAND that this and other disasters are the deadly impact of super heavy monsoons in Swat, all triggered by climate stress; and it is not just one area.' Rescue teams were deployed across affected districts, with army helicopters and boats assisting evacuations. Temporary relief camps are being established for displaced families, officials added. 'We heard warnings on TV, but no one came to help. The river rose so fast we could barely escape with our lives,' a survivor in Charsadda, identified as Abdul Waheed, told Dawn: Pakistan ranks among the world's most climate-vulnerable nations, with scientists linking the intensifying monsoon patterns to global warming. In 2022, a third of the country was inundated in flood waters killing over 1,700 people.
CTV News
29-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Pakistan flash floods, heavy rain kill 45 in just days
Local residents look to the Swat River, which is overflowing due to pre-monsoon heavy rains in the area, on the outskirts of Mingora, the main town of Pakistan's Swat Valley, Friday, June 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Sherin Zada) ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Heavy rain and flash flooding across Pakistan have killed 45 people in just a few days since the start of the monsoon season, disaster management officials said Sunday. The highest toll was recorded in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that borders Afghanistan, where 10 children were among 21 killed. The disaster management authority said 14 of those victims died in the Swat Valley, where media reported a flash flood swept away families on a riverbank. In Pakistan's most populous province of Punjab, along the frontier with India, 13 fatalities have been recorded since Wednesday. Eight of them were children who died when walls or roofs collapsed during heavy rain, while the adults were killed in flash floods. Eleven other deaths related to the monsoon downpours were recorded in Sindh and Balochistan provinces. The national meteorological service warned that the risk of heavy rain and possible flash floods will remain high until at least Saturday. Last month, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms in the South Asian nation, which experienced several extreme weather events in the spring, including strong hailstorms. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency.
