Swabi flood death toll hits 42 as rescue ends

The rescue operation in Dalori Bala, a remote mountainous village of Gadoon Amazai in Swabi district, has been completed after all 37 missing bodies were recovered from the debris, bringing the total death toll from the devastating cloudburst to 42.

Deputy Commissioner Swabi Nasrullah Khan confirmed the completion of the operation, citing a report by AAC Topi Dr Usman Khan. He said that with all bodies retrieved, authorities are now shifting focus towards relief and rehabilitation of the affected families.

On Monday morning around 7:30 am, a sudden cloudburst triggered flash floods, landslides, lightning strikes, and the fall of heavy boulders from surrounding hills. The disaster flattened 15 houses completely and partially damaged 25 others. A total of 37 men, women, and children lost their lives in Dalori Bala alone. Four more people, including two women and two children, died in Sarkoi Payan village, while one youth drowned in floodwaters at Kernal Sher Khan Kallay, raising the overall toll to 42.

Rescue Swabi, Al-Khidmat Foundation, army, and other welfare organizations carried out around-the-clock operations for nearly 60 hours. Twenty-six bodies were recovered on Monday and Tuesday, while the remaining 13 were found on Wednesday. Mass graves were dug in Dalori Bala, where 37 victims were laid to rest.

Officials said the scale of destruction was intensified by boulders crashing down from the mountains along with the gushing floodwaters, which buried homes under debris. Drinking water sources have been contaminated, while electricity and communication lines remain cut off in Dalori Bala, Dalori Payan, Sarkoi Payan, Mangal Chai, Bada, and adjoining villages of Gadoon Amazai.