Pakistan:22 stranded tourists freeze to death after heavy snowfall

In Pakistan, 22 people, including 10 children, froze to death in their vehicles after heavy snowfall at the popular hill station Murree in Punjab province. The heavy snowfall overnight deteriorated the traffic jam situation leading to blockages of all the routes in Murree. Government has declared Murree as a calamity-hit area after heavy snowfall wreaked havoc in the city. The traffic jams were exacerbated by heavy snowfall overnight, which resulted in road blockages. In some instances, the snowstorm and intense winds had also uprooted trees that had fallen on the roads and in one instance, on a couple of vehicles.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar issued instructions to expedite rescue work and provide aid to those stranded. Buzdar claimed that all those stranded had been moved to government rest houses and hotels, adding that they were being provided with food, medicines, blankets and other essentials. More than 23,000 cars were evacuated from the area the night before and the rescue operation was going on. Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed sorrow and regret over the deaths in Murree.