KP Flash Flood Kills Afghan Returnees as Monsoon Emergency Deepens
PESHAWAR: Rescue teams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recovered three bodies on Monday after a vehicle carrying Afghan families was swept away by a flash flood in Khyber district’s Landi Kotal tehsil. The incident occurred as heavy monsoon rain continued to hit parts of the province, turning streams and low-lying routes into dangerous flood channels.
According to Rescue 1122, the vehicle was caught in fast-moving floodwater near Sultan Khel Market, prompting emergency teams to launch a search operation. The passengers were reportedly travelling as Afghan families returning to their country when the vehicle was overtaken by sudden runoff triggered by intense rain in the area.
Divers and local residents later recovered the bodies of a woman and a man from Jamrud, while the body of a child was found in the Parang Sang area. Rescue officials said the operation was still continuing for other missing commuters, while another body of a Jamrud resident was also found during the search, adding to fears that the death toll linked to the latest rain spell may rise.
Rescue 1122’s Khyber director general Shah Fahad chaired an emergency online meeting after the weather forecast and directed district emergency officers to remain on high alert. He said rescue vehicles, boats, water teams and specialised equipment had been positioned across vulnerable districts, while citizens were urged to avoid unnecessary travel, keep away from rivers and rain-fed waterways, and contact the 1122 helpline during emergencies.
The same weather system also caused deadly damage in Mardan, where the roof of a room collapsed in Kalu Dheri village, killing two children. Rescue officials said the children’s mother and 14-year-old sister were injured and shifted to Mardan Medical Complex Hospital for treatment, highlighting the multiple risks created by heavy rain in both rural homes and open waterways.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department had earlier forecast widespread rain across the country this week, including showers in Khyber, Mardan and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between July 19 and July 23. The latest casualties show how quickly monsoon conditions can become life-threatening in districts where mountain runoff, weak drainage and fragile housing structures intersect.
Emergency preparations have also been widened beyond rescue operations. Peshawar Electric Supply Company established a control room at its headquarters and placed operational teams on alert, advising consumers to stay away from electricity poles, wires and transformers, avoid electrical appliances with wet hands, and report faults instead of attempting repairs themselves.
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, earlier rainfall also left a trail of destruction in Neelum district, where two houses were completely washed away and 16 others were partially damaged. Initial damage reports also listed dozens of affected shops, vehicles, motorcycles, link bridges, electricity poles, a mosque and a private school building, while local officials said relief items were being provided and debris clearance was under way.
For Pakistan, the latest flash flood emergency is another warning about the growing human and economic cost of extreme monsoon events. Roads, bridges, homes, power infrastructure and cross-border travel routes are all exposed when sudden rains hit mountainous regions, placing pressure on rescue agencies and local administrations already operating with limited resources.
Authorities are expected to continue search operations in Khyber while monitoring rain alerts across KP and AJK in the coming days. The immediate priority is to recover the missing, prevent further casualties and keep residents away from rivers, streams and unstable structures until water levels fall and damaged areas are declared safe.