Rescue 1122, NDMA, paramilitary and district administration
Deaths
32–38 total:
19 in KP (including 13 in Swat)
13–19 in other provinces
Missing
Several (including members of tourist families)
Inquiries
Provincial inquiry ordered by CM; four officials suspended
Multiple tourist families affected; viral rescue fails raised public outcry
The Northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa floods were a series of devastating flash floods triggered by heavy pre-monsoon rains in late June 2025, primarily affecting Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. The floods resulted in significant casualties, infrastructure damage, and widespread displacement, particularly in the Swat Valley.[1] The provincial government faced criticism for not responding quickly to rescue the stranded people.
In June 2025, flash floods triggered by torrential rains devastated northern Pakistan, killing at least 32 people, including 16 children. Among the victims was a tourist family that perished while stranded on a small patch of land in the Swat River, waiting over an hour for rescue that never arrived. The harrowing footage circulated widely on social media, sparking public outrage.
The tragedy underscored the repeated failure of disaster response systems and exposed chronic issues of mismanagement and corruption within local administrations. Despite warnings from meteorological authorities, preparedness remained minimal, leaving citizens vulnerable and emergency services overwhelmed.
The incident is a stark reminder of how deeply governance failures continue to endanger ordinary Pakistanis during climate-induced disasters[2].
Background
Heavy and flash flooding in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a recurring annual calamity. The region experiences both monsoon-season (July–September) riverine floods and spring/summer flash floods triggered by intense localized rainfall and snow/glacial melt.[3][4][5]
From June 27 to 28, 2025, intense rainfall upstream caused the Swat River to rise rapidly, precipitating flash floods. Numerous tourist gatherings near the riverbanks were taken aback.[6]
Impact
Fatalities and injuries
Flash floods killed at least 32 people.[1] In 48 hours, 19 deaths occurred in KP, including 13 in Swat (6 men, 5 women, 8 children).[7] The victims included 18 members of the same extended family, a tourist group, of whom 12 bodies were recovered.[6] Other provincial rain-related deaths included 2 in Charsadda and 1 in Shangla, raising the death toll.[8]
Widespread landslides and flash floods also damaged roads and disrupted communities in mountainous regions.[9]
Rescue and response
Emergency operations
KP's Rescue 1122 deployed approximately 120 personnel across eight Swat locations; they rescued dozens; however, officials admitted high operational failures.[10]
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari slammed KP's handling of recovered bodies, stating that transporting them in garbage dumpers was 'deeply disrespectful." She, along with the Punjab Assembly, called for CM Gandapur's moral resignation.[12][13]
Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described the incident as a "governance failure," questioning why stronger leadership actions weren’t taken; KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi echoed calls for Gandapur's resignation due to this "shameful failure".[14][15][16]
by Public and activists
Social media footage of stranded tourists pleading for rescue stirred public anger over the absence of helicopters and the delayed response.[17]
While some defended limitations of KP's resources, others pointed out that the absence of provincial helicopters caused critical delays.[18]
Aftermath
Government accountability
Four senior Swat officials: Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Swat, Rescue 1122's district head, Zahidullah Khan, Tehsil Municipal Officer (TMO) of Khawazakhela and Assistant Commissioner (AC) Babuzai were suspended.[19][20] Compensation of Rs 1.5 million announced for each victim’s family. Chief Secretary of Khyber PakhtunkhwaShahab Ali Shah acknowledged a '45‑minute window' to act and termed the response lapse as turning a "small mistake into a major tragedy."[10]
Rescue and relief
Rescue 1122, along with drones and boats, conducted extensive efforts in Swat, Malakand, and Shangla, rescuing dozens and searching intensively for missing persons two days after the floods.[21][22][23]
Crackdown on encroachment
Following the tragedy, KP authorities imposed a complete ban on riverbed mining and launched a crackdown on illegal hotels, resorts, and other encroachments along the Swat River.[24]
A three-member committee led by the Assistant Commissioner of Bahrain was established to identify and remove structures violating the KP River Protection Act (2014).[25]
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