At least three bodies have been recovered and brought to the Sub-District Hospital Surankote for postmortem after flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall struck parts of the area on Sunday.

Block Medical Officer (BMO) Surankote, Dr Mohammad Yousaf Choudhary, confirmed that three bodies had been received at the hospital for medico-legal formalities.

Official sources said the death toll could rise as several people are feared missing, though the exact number of casualties is yet to be officially confirmed.

Police, civil administration, rescue teams and local volunteers have launched a massive rescue and search operation in the affected area. Efforts are underway to evacuate stranded residents, shift the injured to safety and trace those reported missing.

Residents described the deluge as the worst to hit Surankote in decades, saying the region has not witnessed flooding of such magnitude since 1992. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as rescue operations continue.