Body of child swept away in Swat River flash flood found in Charsadda

The body of a child who was swept away by flash floods in the Swat River on Friday was found in Charsadda, rescue officials said on Sunday.

This was the 12th confirmed death from the incident.

According to Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) data, at least 19 people have died and six others have been injured in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to ongoing heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides.

KP Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi said the child’s body was recovered in Charsadda and shifted to a hospital, adding that he will be transported to his native area in an ambulance.

He said that one victim remains missing and a search operation is underway.

The spokesperson noted that 17 people were initially reported missing on Friday when torrential rains triggered flash floods across parts of Swat and Malakand divisions.

So far, four people were rescued and 11 bodies recovered. With Sunday’s recovery, the number of bodies fished out has risen to 12, leaving one person still unaccounted for.

In a separate case, rescue teams also recovered the body of a young man who had drowned in a swollen river in Lower Dir two days earlier. His body was found in Charsadda after ongoing search efforts.

Meanwhile, in another tragic incident in KP’s Hazara division, two youths drowned in the Indus River near Balyani Akazai.

Rescue spokesperson Rabnawaz Yousufzai said the first youth jumped into the river to cool off from the heat. As he struggled in the current, a second youth leapt in to try and save him, but both were swept away.

A third youth also entered the river in a rescue attempt but was unable to help and made it back to shore. Local residents have since joined the search for the two missing boys.