The body of a young child who went missing during a flash flood near Babusar Top was recovered three days after the devastating incident that claimed multiple lives and left dozens stranded in the region. Three-year-old Abdul Hadi, son of Dr Mashal Fatima, was swept away by floodwaters on Sunday when a family returning from Skardu was caught in a sudden deluge near Babusar Top in Diamer district. 

His body was recovered late Wednesday evening near Dassar, several kilometres from the site of the incident, after being spotted by locals who immediately alerted authorities. Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts, acting on the information, retrieved the child’s body from a nearby drain and shifted it to a hospital in Chilas. Family members had returned to Chilas to collect the body after search efforts continued for several days.

 Dr Mashal Fatima, a resident of Lodhran and affiliated with Shahida Islam Medical College, and her brother-in-law, Fahad Islam, lost their lives in the same incident. According to a family member, Fahad had jumped into the floodwaters in an attempt to save his aunt and Abdul Hadi but was unable to survive. The bodies of Dr Mashal and Fahad Islam were flown to Lodhran from Islamabad. The flash flood, triggered by heavy monsoon rains, has caused widespread devastation in Gilgit-Baltistan.

According to rescue officials, at least six bodies have been recovered so far, and the search operation for 18 more missing tourists is ongoing. A rescue team operating in the Babusar Valley confirmed that inclement weather and recurring landslides continue to hamper efforts. The region remains under emergency, with several key routes, including the Karakoram Highway and Gilgit-Skardu Road, blocked at multiple locations due to landslides and collapsed infrastructure. 

A planned deployment of a C-130 aircraft to assist in the search and evacuation operation could not be carried out due to adverse weather conditions. Meanwhile, thousands of tourists remain stranded, with long queues of vehicles reported on blocked roads. During his visit to Babusar Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister stated that the ongoing search and rescue operations would continue without pause and that road access would be restored within three to four days. 

He acknowledged that the scale of destruction was significant and that immediate relief and recovery efforts were underway. In Astore and Thor valleys, at least three more individuals, including a woman, lost their lives due to related weather events. Heavy rains and flash floods have damaged bridges, roads, and farmlands, altering the landscape of several tourist spots.

In Thor and Enger areas, two mosques were damaged, and two children were reportedly swept away while on their way to a mosque. More than 50 houses have been wiped out in various parts of Diamer Valley, prompting authorities to declare several areas, including parts of the Babusar Highway, as disaster-hit zones.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)