At least 21 individuals have died after being stranded in their vehicles by heavy snow in northern Pakistan.
As many as 1,000 automobiles were allegedly stopped as visitors hurried to see the winter snowfall in the mountain town of Murree.
According to local emergency services Rescue 1122, among the dead are a police officer, his wife, and their six children, as well as another family of five.
The military is working to clear roads and rescue people who remain stuck.
The problem, according to Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid, was sparked by the large number of individuals who traveled to the area north of Islamabad. In recent days, more than 100,000 automobiles had arrived in the colonial-era town, and social media in Pakistan was inundated with photographs of people enjoying the snow.
However, on Friday, local media were reporting that visitors were being trapped. Authorities declared the region a disaster zone on Saturday due to the heavy snowfall and increase in vehicle traffic.
According to rescue services, at least 21 individuals have died, including 10 children. According to police, at least six people died from exposure in their vehicles. Asphyxiation caused by breathing fumes has been proposed as a plausible explanation for the others.
Villagers have offered blankets and food to those who have been stranded, and those who have made it up to the town - which is 2,300 meters (7,500 feet) above sea level - have been given shelter in government and school facilities.
Prime Minister Imran Khan voiced his sorrow at the "tragic deaths" of the visitors, stating that the snowstorm and "rush of [people] continuing without verifying meteorological conditions caught district administration off guard."
0 Comments