A tragic roof collapse in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi district claimed two lives on Thursday after heavy overnight rain. A 50-year-old man and his 28-year-old daughter died when the ceiling of their house in the Azadkhel area of Topi tehsil suddenly gave way while the family was asleep.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Luqman Khan said the loud crash woke the neighbours, who immediately started pulling people out of the debris and called the emergency service. Officials arrived soon after and found the father, Mohammad Fareeq, and his daughter already dead. Fareeq’s 45-year-old wife and their 30-year-old son Awais were pulled out alive but in critical condition. Both injured family members and the bodies were taken to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital.
The same spell of torrential rain triggered several other building failures across Swabi. Rescue teams reported that a bank building also collapsed, though no one was hurt. In Jarandu Nahr two people were moved to safety, while five others were evacuated from Azamabad Chowki. Overall, more than 300 residents were shifted to safer places because of flash floods and landslides triggered by the downpour.
The Meteorological Office has warned that heavy to torrential rain will continue until August 21 across large parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Nowshera, Charsadda, Swabi, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Kohat, Hangu and several tribal districts. Urban flooding is expected in the low-lying areas of Swabi.
Local officials said the continuous rain has weakened many old houses and roofs, raising the risk of further collapses. Rescue 1122 teams remain on high alert and are asking residents in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations until the weather improves. The provincial disaster management authority is monitoring the situation closely and has advised people to avoid unnecessary travel during the ongoing rainfall.
This latest incident highlights how quickly heavy monsoon rains can turn deadly in areas with weak housing structures. Authorities continue search and relief operations while urging the public to stay vigilant as more rain is forecast in the coming hours.
