SWAT: The commissioner of Malakand Division has submitted a preliminary report about the June 27 drowning of tourists in the flooded Swat River to the Provincial Inspection Team.

The five-page report said that due to excessive rainfall, the water level in the Swat River at Khwaza Khela reached 7,827 cusecs at that fateful day.

According to it, 17 tourists were stranded in the flash floods, including 10 from Punjab’s Sialkot district, six from KP’s Mardan district, and one local resident.

It said that a construction activity in the Swat River led to the diversion of water flow, so the water level at the site of the tragedy was lower, allowing tourists to get there.

“The affected tourists reached the hotel at 8:31pm and entered the river at 9:31pm. The hotel’s guard attempted to stop them from entering the river, but they ‘bypassed’ the hotel and entered through the back,” it said.

The report added that 14 minutes after the tourists entered the river at 9:45pm, the water level rose, prompting a rescue call and that authorities reached there 20 minutes later.

It added that in view of the flood risks, all relevant departments had been put on alert.

The report said the 2025 Flood Control Plan was prepared in May, and several weather alerts had also been received by authorities.

It added that emergency duties had already been assigned to the relevant officers.

The report said a decision about a crackdown on the riverside encroachments was made before the flooding, and Section 144 was imposed in the Malakand Division for one month starting from June 2.

It added that on June 24, Section 144 was extended, imposing a ban on swimming and boating in the Swat River.

“Of the 17 stranded tourists, four were rescued immediately, 12 bodies were recovered, and the search for one person continues. A total of 75 people drowned in various areas of Swat,” said the report.

After the tragedy, the government suspended the deputy commissioner, additional deputy commissioner, and assistant commissioners of Babozai and Khwaza Khela.

The district emergency officer and the tehsil municipal officer of Swat were also suspended.

On June 28, the provincial chief secretary visited the site and got all river mining activities in the district banned.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2025