Thursday, March 28

Trapped in the snow, 22 tourists died of cold or suffocated in their cars in Pakistan


Pakistani authorities raised the total number of tourists killed during a traffic jam on a snow-covered mountain road in Muree to 22. Some tourists died from the cold and others from suffocation after inhaling vehicle fumes after the exhaust pipes were covered by snow.

Videos on social media, recorded by tourists themselves, show people walking through heavy snow in search of safe places, abandoning their vehicles.

Due to its proximity to the Pakistani capital, Murree is a popular destination for tourists during the weekend, especially in winter when the hills are covered in a blanket of snow.

“The 22 bodies have been handed over to their families and among the dead there are 10 men, 10 children and 2 women,” a police officer told Efe on condition of anonymity.

The authorities also reported on the progress of the rescue operations, with the evacuation of thousands of people who remained stranded inside their vehicles and the reopening of regular traffic, although the work continues.

“The main communication arteries have been cleared for all types of movement,” the Pakistani Army press office reported in a statement.

The tragedy occurred between Friday night and Saturday, when tens of thousands of people traveled to the town of Murree, a mountain area in Punjab province, to enjoy the snowfall.

However, the large number of tourist vehicles caused a traffic jam leaving thousands stranded in the snow.

“Shocked and upset by the tragic deaths of tourists on the road to Murree. The unprecedented snowfall and flood of people who proceeded without checking the weather conditions caught the district administration off guard,” Pakistani Prime Minister Imran said on Twitter. Khan.

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“I have ordered an investigation and established strict regulations to ensure the prevention of such tragedies,” he added.

The government has banned the general public from entering Murree to avoid congestion.

According to Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, around 100,000 vehicles took the road to Murree last Friday.

This number of tourists is the largest number of visitors in decades, “which created a crisis,” Rashid said yesterday.

Videos on social media, recorded by tourists themselves, show people walking through heavy snow in search of safe places, abandoning their vehicles.

Due to its proximity to the Pakistani capital, Murree is a popular destination for tourists during the weekend, especially in winter when the hills are covered in a blanket of snow.

Pakistan has experienced intermittent rains for the past four days, leading to the suspension and diversion of flights.

Heavy snowfall and rain have also caused road closures in various parts of the country, including Balochistan, Gilgit Baltistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Disaster Management Authority reported today in a statement that 12 people were killed and 29 others injured in incidents related to rain and snow in the province since January 3.


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