Officials claimed on Saturday that at least 16 tourists died in frigid conditions after becoming stranded in their vehicles in northern Pakistan, where thousands had traveled to enjoy the snow.
The government has designated Murree, 64 kilometers (40 miles) northeast of the capital Islamabad, a tragedy-stricken area, with over 1,000 vehicles still trapped.
“For the first time in 15 to 20 years, such a significant number of visitors rushed to Murree, causing a major issue,” Pakistan’s interior minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, said in a video message.
Around 1,000 cars were stopped in the hill station, a hamlet elevated from the surrounding terrain, according to the minister, who also confirmed that “16 to 19 deaths occurred in their cars.”
According to him, army platoons and paramilitary troops have been dispatched to assist the civil administration in rescue operations.
To prevent any further flood of tourists, the administration announced the shutdown of all routes leading to the station late Friday.
The “tragic deaths” of the tourists shocked Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. In a tweet, Khan stated, “Have ordered an investigation and put in place tough regulations to ensure prevention of such tragedies.”
Fawad Chaudhry, the Minister of Information, has urged people not to visit the mountainous station.
Thousands of tourists were drawn to the area by the snowfall, which began on Tuesday night and continued at regular intervals. Many families became trapped on the roadways as a result of a large number of visitors.
Over 100,000 automobiles reportedly entered the mountainous station, according to local media.
Families, including children, were seen lying lifeless in their snow-covered vehicles in videos circulated on social media.
Dr. Faheem Yonus, chief of infectious diseases at the University of Maryland UCH, tweeted, “Were the deaths caused by cold or carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning?” “If an idle car is buried in snow, the obstructed exhaust (silencer) can soon kill the passengers as they breathe CO.” Officials have not stated what caused the fatalities.
