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As Pakistan reels from yet another monsoon tragedy, celebrities have raised their voices over the flash floods in Swat that claimed the lives of at least 17 people on Friday.

The victims, many of whom were children and young adults, were swept away by a sudden surge in the river’s flow while having breakfast on the riverbank near Mingora.

What was meant to be a peaceful morning turned catastrophic in a matter of minutes, and disturbing videos of tourists stranded in the gushing Swat River have since gone viral on social media, further fuelling public outrage at what many are calling a preventable tragedy.

“Shocked and incredibly saddened by this tragedy. Praying for everyone impacted… We need systems that control the impact of rain. We need leadership,” singer and actor Hadiqa Kiani wrote in an Instagram story.

In a more scathing follow-up, Kiani questioned the utter lack of preparedness. “Now and then we face these life-taking floods, and yet we take no solid measures. Why? These innocent lives paid the price of negligence. No weather forecast? No warnings? Do we have any system? This so-called system failed you.”

“A river that once sang songs of peace now roars with sorrow… Entire villages were swept away while the world remained unaware. This is not just a natural disaster. This is a human tragedy ignored,” Hira Mani shared in an emotional note on Instagram. While there have been deaths, no reports have emerged of villages or homes being swept away.

The actor mourned not just the loss but the silence surrounding it. “There is no help. No rescue. This is not just a natural disaster. This is a human tragedy ignored.”

She also urged her followers to act, “Swat needs us. Not tomorrow. Not later. Now. Please, share, speak, donate, help. Even a voice raised can be a lifeline.”

Cricketer Naseem Shah also posted a heartfelt message, “Absolutely devastated by the tragic news from our beautiful Swat… May Allah grant them strength, patience, and mercy in this unbearable time.”

Some kept it short, but their sorrow resonated just as loudly. Actor Yasir Hussain simply shared, “Sad, sad, sad.” Actor Zara Noor Abbas wrote, “Deeply saddened by this, may Allah bless their souls. Ameen.”

Host Dr Shaista Lodhi posted, “May Allah have mercy.” While Aiman Khan shared a sobering reminder, “Please avoid going to rivers in monsoon.”

Actor Yashma Gill also took to Instagram to express her sorrow and share a heartfelt plea for caution. “A heartbreaking tragedy has struck in Swat,” she wrote, “where over 16 members of the same family were swept away by flash floods during a picnic by the river… Only 3 have survived.”

Shaken by the widely circulated footage of the incident, Gill added, “I can’t imagine the pain they’re going through… Watching the video and witnessing their helplessness has really torn my heart.”

She offered prayers for the departed and urged the public to be more vigilant during monsoon travels. “Please, as a precaution, keep checking weather and flood forecasts. Nature can be unpredictable and your safety should always be the most important thing.”

A preventable disaster?

The flood occurred after two days of rainfall pushed the Swat River into a “very high flood state,” with a discharge rate of over 77,000 cubic feet per second. A family of tourists from Sialkot and Mardan had been seated along the river near the bypass in Mingora when the water level suddenly surged.

At least 13 people, including children aged seven to 20, drowned. While heroic locals saved some, others were tragically swept away. According to an official report, 10 people are still missing.

Eyewitnesses said the tourists remained stranded for over an hour before help arrived. Muhammad Hilal, a local, was able to pull three people from the waters himself. Many are now questioning why, despite a flood alert issued by the PDMA earlier, authorities failed to take preemptive steps, such as enforcing Section 144 to restrict access to the riverbank.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur directed the CM Inspection Team to investigate deaths on Friday. He also expressed sorrow over the tragedy and announced compensation for the deceased. The government suspended three officials from Swat’s district administration and one from the relief, rehabilitation and settlement department

The collective outcry reflects a growing frustration with a system that many say continues to fail its people, year after year.

As the death toll rises and search efforts continue, many are now demanding more than condolences — they want accountability, early warning systems, and a model that doesn’t treat such tragedies as inevitable.