At least three people were killed after a vehicle carrying deported Afghan families was swept away by a flash flood in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Khyber district on Monday, rescue personnel reported.
According to Rescue 1122, personnel recovered the bodies of a man, a woman and a child, while a search operation to locate other passengers was underway.
They said the vehicle was swept away near Sultan Khel Market in Landi Kotal after heavy rainfall triggered a flash flood.
Rescue teams were dispatched immediately and launched a search operation.
Divers, assisted by locals, recovered the bodies of the man and woman in Jamrud, while the child’s body was found in the Parang Sang area.
The incident comes soon after the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast widespread rainfall across the country this week. The Met Office said Khyber, Mardan and several other areas of KP were expected to receive heavy rain between July 19 and July 23, triggering flash floods.
Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 Director General (DG) Shah Fahad chaired an emergency meeting and directed district emergency officers across the province to remain on high alert.
According to Rescue 1122, rescue personnel, emergency vehicles, boats and specialised equipment have been deployed across several districts, while water rescue teams are patrolling rivers, streams and other waterways.
Shah Fahad urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from rivers and rain-fed waterways, and contact the 1122 emergency helpline in case of emergencies. He added that awareness campaigns on weather-related risks and flash floods were also being carried out through loudspeakers.
