Murree, a prominent hill destination in Pakistan’s Punjab province, was declared a calamity-hit area on Saturday after at least 21 people, including nine children, died in their stalled vehicles owing to unexpected snowfall and a surge of tourists.
After thousands of vehicles entered Murree in Rawalpindi area, all routes were closed, leaving tourists stranded on the roadways.
1000’s of vehicles trapped in Murree
Around 1,000 cars were trapped on the high station, according to the Dawn newspaper, and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar issued instructions to speed up rescue efforts and provide assistance to the stranded tourists.
In hospitals, police stations, and government offices, the Punjab government has declared a state of emergency.
At least 22 individuals died, according to a list released by Rescue 1122, including ten children.
The terrible deaths of tourists on the road to Murree horrified and upset Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“Unprecedented snowfall and a rush of people leaving without consulting the weather forecast caught the district administration off guard. Have ordered an investigation and put in place strict regulations to guarantee that such tragedies do not occur again “In a tweet, Khan stated.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid stated in a video message that the military has been called in to clear roads and rescue people who are still trapped. He claimed that Murree had “seen a huge number of tourists after 15-20 years” and that a crisis had resulted as a result.
The authorities was compelled to close the road connecting Islamabad and Murree, according to Rashid.
Rescue operations being conducted
Rescue activities are being carried out by the commissioners of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, deputy commissioners, and police, he said.
“Thousands of vehicles have been trapped since the night […] some have been rescued; 16-19 people have died in automobiles. The trapped passengers were given food and blankets by the villagers “Rashid said.
He stated that 1,000 automobiles will be evacuated by Saturday evening, and that the routes to Murree would be closed until Sunday at 9 p.m.
“We’ve also decided to prohibit tourists from visiting Murree. This is not the right time to visit Murree “The minister was reported by Geo News as saying.
Murree has been declared a calamity-hit area by the Punjab government after heavy snowfall caused havoc on the city. Punjab Chief Minister Buzdar has directed that government offices and rest homes be opened for stranded tourists, citing the pandemonium and emergency situation.
Meteorological Department warns of heavy snowfall
From January 6 to 9, the Pakistan Meteorological Department anticipated heavy snowfall in Murree and Galiyat.
Since last night, tens of thousands of tourists, including women and children, have been stranded on the area’s roadways. Officials from the traffic police, on the other hand, were working to restore traffic flow on the roads.
(This story was not edited by The North Eastern Chronicle staff and is published from a syndicated feed)
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