A family picnic along the picturesque Swat River turned into a heartbreaking tragedy as sudden flash floods swept away 17 members of an extended family from Sialkot, killing 11, with two still missing, officials confirmed.
The incident unfolded when children entered the river for photographs, only to be caught in a sudden monsoon surge. Their relatives rushed in to help, but the powerful current overwhelmed them, said district administrator Shehzad Mahboob. Nine of the victims belonged to a single family unit of 16.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with four individuals successfully pulled to safety, while emergency teams continue the search for the missing. The disaster is part of a larger monsoon crisis wreaking havoc across Pakistan, where 32 lives have been lost this week alone due to floods and roof collapses, including eight children, according to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa disaster management authority.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 56 houses have been damaged, with six fully destroyed, and the Pakistan Meteorological Department warns of continued heavy rainfall and flash floods through Tuesday.
This tragedy highlights Pakistan’s growing vulnerability to climate-induced disasters, with extreme weather events occurring with alarming frequency. Just last month, storms took another 32 lives, as the nation grapples with the escalating consequences of climate change.
As the monsoon continues, authorities urge residents to stay away from rivers and unstable structures, and to follow weather alerts closely. The loss in Swat serves as a grim reminder of nature’s unpredictability and the fragile line between joy and sorrow in the face of environmental extremes.