A quiet morning picnic by the river turned into a devastating scene in Pakistan’s Swat Valley on Friday, as a flash flood swept away multiple members of a tourist family visiting from Punjab and Sialkot.
The group of 27 had stopped at the riverbank to share breakfast. Some of the children stepped into the water to take selfies. That moment became the turning point.
Without warning, a sudden mountain surge swept through the area, pulling the children into the current. Family members rushed in to save them. But the water was too fast. Too strong. They were dragged under too.
Locals say the cries for help lasted almost two hours. No one stepped in. The current was too fierce. People watched from a distance, frozen by fear.
Eighteen people are now the focus of a frantic search after being caught in a flash flood. In a heartbreaking turn, a 9:30 a.m. weather alert was issued only after the family was already near the river, according to officials.
The incident moved Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to express his grief and order an immediate escalation of the rescue mission, which now involves a powerful team of over 80 rescue personnel and local volunteers racing against time.
Every year during the monsoon season, thousands travel to northern Pakistan for the mountains, the cool air, the rivers. Swat Valley is one of the most visited spots. It’s beautiful. But nature doesn’t always wait.
This time, the valley didn’t give any second chances. A family lost its children, its parents, its joy. And a vacation meant for rest will now be remembered for silence, not smiles.
