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- Published: January 8, 2022 14:44
New Delhi: According to Pakistan’s interior minister Shiekh Rasheed, about 16-19 tourists freeze to death after they were stranded in their cars due to the snowstorm.
The incident took place in Pakistan’s Punjab province, in popular hill station Murree on Friday night.
The reports suggest that Murree was packed with tourists headed to the hill station to witness the snowfall.
“Last night, the government imposed a ban on the entry of tourists in Murree and Galiyat region. They won’t be allowed to go beyond Satra Meel Toll Plaza, except in the case of extreme emergency”, said Rasheed.
The minister also disclosed that nearly 23,000 cars have been brought back so far, while an operation is underway to rescue 1,000 cars trapped in the snow.
Here’s what the minister said:
اسلام آباد : 8 جنوری
مری جانے والے سیاحوں کے لئے اہم پیغام https://t.co/Tc0IG0EDvh@GovtofPakistan @PTVNewsOfficial pic.twitter.com/FntGcTQZFZ— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) January 8, 2022
“Rawalpindi and Islamabad administrations, along with police, had been working to rescue those stranded, while five platoons of the Pakistan Army, as well as Rangers and Frontier Corps, were called on an emergency basis”, he added.
Heavy machinery has been called in to clear the roads as well.
Watch the terrifying video here:
At least 20 tourists have lost their lives in #Murree according to the government so far while the unofficial casualty numbers are quite high. Murree has been declared calamity-hit while an emergency has been imposed in the region. Army called in for rescue operation ? pic.twitter.com/Bt2n1PwISD
— Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) January 8, 2022
As per the news reports, nearly 100,000 vehicles entered Murrey in the current week only.
Meanwhile, hundreds of tourists had to spend the night on the roads inside their vehicles, while the locals helped them with food, blankets, and other essentials.
Murree declared calamity hit:
The government has declared Murree as a calamity-hit area after heavy snowfall in the region. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has directed to open the government’s offices and rest houses for the stranded tourists.
وزیراعلیٰ پنجاب نے مری میں ایمرجنسی نافذ کر دی
پولیس، انتظامیہ، ریسکیو 1122 اور ہسپتالوں میں ہنگامی حالت کا نفاذ کیا گیا ہے
ریسکیو کےلیے فوج اور رینجرز کےدستے بھی طلب کر لیےگئے
چیف سیکرٹری، IG پولیس، ریلیف کمشنر، DG ریسکیو اور PDMA کو ریسکیو سرگرمیوں کی خود مانیٹرنگ کی ہدایت
— Government of Punjab (@GovtofPunjabPK) January 8, 2022