The Swat district administration is facing severe criticism for its failure to respond in time to flood warnings, which led to the tragic drowning of 14 tourists on the Mingora Bypass on June 27.
According to sources from the Irrigation Department, the department had issued multiple flood alerts following a sudden and dangerous rise in water levels from Khwazakhela.
They said that at 6:30am on June 27, 6,000 cusecs of water were released from Khwazakhela. Just two hours later, at 8:30am, the flow surged to 26,000 cusecs, and by 9am, it had escalated drastically to 66,000 cusecs. By 10:30am, the department formally informed the Swat district administration of a massive flood surge of 77,000 cusecs in the Swat River.
Also Read: 18 tourists swept away in Swat River flash floods
Despite these escalating warnings, the district administration reportedly failed to take timely preventive measures, including restricting public access to flood-prone areas. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and other relevant institutions were also notified by the Irrigation Department, but no immediate action followed.
Sources further revealed that since June 15, flood monitoring cells have been activated on every major river across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as part of annual monsoon preparedness. However, the local response in Swat remained sluggish and ineffective.
The tragic incident on the Mingora Bypass, where 14 tourists drowned, has sparked outrage among citizens and raised serious questions about the coordination between government departments during emergency situations.
Also Read: KP chief secretary admits rescue failures in Swat River tragedy
Previously, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah had acknowledged “serious shortcomings” in the rescue efforts following a flash flood in the Swat River that claimed over a dozen lives, mostly tourists from Punjab.
Addressing media at the scene near Mingora, Shah said the administration had a window of 45 minutes in which lives could have been saved, but “a small mistake turned into a major tragedy.”
The provincial government announced financial compensation of Rs1.5 million for the family of each deceased person.
The incident occurred on June 27 when multiple families, including one from Sialkot, were enjoying breakfast on a dry patch along the riverbank near the Swat Bypass. Without warning, a powerful flash flood swept in, washing away more than a dozen people.
