Pakistan: Systemic failures, delayed response led to Swat River tragedy, says probe

At least 14 people, including 10 members of a single family, lost their lives on June 27 after being swept away in a flash flood triggered by heavy rains in the Swat River.

According to Dawn, a committee formed by the CM to fix responsibility found "negligence and shortcomings" on the part of the district administration, irrigation and local government departments, and Rescue 1122, which contributed to the tragedy.

"The relevant departments will initiate action against officers found responsible and complete disciplinary proceedings within 60 days," read an official statement issued by the CM Secretariat, Dawn reported.

The Provincial Inspection Team (PIT), in its 63-page report, found that weather advisories issued by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and district administration "were not effectively implemented".

Dawn quoted the report as highlighting "a lack of coordination among the police, revenue, irrigation, rescue, tourism police, and other departments," while also pointing to the "malfunctioning of early warning systems" that led to delays in communicating about the flood.

The report further revealed that hotel owners did not alert tourists about the danger in riverine areas, and Rescue 1122's emergency response was delayed, citing a shortage of trained personnel and essential rescue equipment.

"There was no clear designation of responsibilities among departments and institutions for riverside safety, and no risk classification existed for tourist spots along rivers," the PIT noted, as reported by Dawn.

The report also pointed to lax enforcement of Section 144, which could have prevented the victims from entering the river, and the absence of organised SOPs at the district level to ensure public safety during monsoon season.

Construction along riverbanks in violation of existing rules was also flagged, with the report noting that regulatory mechanisms for approving building plans and defining encroachments were "ambiguous and inconsistent", according to Dawn.

The PIT called for the introduction of a special law to regulate construction along rivers effectively and recommended that negligent departments take corrective steps, including "the issuance of new protocols and regulatory frameworks, within 30 days".

Dawn further reported that a high-level oversight committee headed by the KP chief secretary would be formed to ensure the implementation of the PIT's recommendations and convert them into "actionable key performance indicators".

The oversight body will also incorporate river safety modules into the upcoming monsoon contingency plan and ensure "the swift execution of plans to enhance Rescue 1122's capabilities", according to Dawn.

To prevent future tragedies, the PIT recommended a province-wide public awareness campaign involving the departments of information, relief, and tourism.

Following the incident, the provincial government launched an operation to clear encroachments along rivers. As per Dawn, "127 illegal buildings were sealed and constructions on over 682 kanals of land were demolished."

In total, encroachments over 1,019 kanals were removed out of the 1,874 kanals of encroached land identified. The authorities also carried out demarcation along 609 kilometres of riverbeds and installed 174 barriers, Dawn reported. (ANI)