Deceased include eight members of the same family after their vehicles were submerged in snow, officials say
At least 21 people froze to death after heavy snow trapped them in their vehicles as tens of thousands of visitors thronged Pakistan’s hill town of Murree.
The military was mobilised to clear roads and rescue people still trapped, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said in a video message on Saturday, adding: “At least 16 to 19 people died inside their vehicles.” Atiq Ahmed, an Islamabad police officer, said eight of the 16 fatalities were from the family of fellow Islamabad police officer Naveed Iqbal, who also died. All 16 died of hypothermia.
Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed shock over the “tragic deaths” of the tourists. “Have ordered inquiry and putting in place strong regulations to ensure prevention of such tragedies,” Khan said in a tweet.
Located about 50km (22 miles) north of the capital, Islamabad, Murree is a popular winter resort that attracts well over one million tourists annually. Streets leading into the city are often blocked by snow in winter. Videos shared on social media showed entire families, including children, lying dead in their snow-covered vehicles.
