No fewer than 21 people have died in cars trapped by heavy snowfall and traffic jams near a popular hill station resort in Pakistan, Persecondnews.com gathered.
Deep snow fell as crowds descended on the town on Friday, leaving large numbers stuck in their vehicles. As many as 1,000 cars had been trapped, the country’s interior minister, Sheikh Rasheed, said.
“The locals provided food and blankets to the stranded people,” he said.
Unverified video shared on social media showed members of the public digging cars out of deep snow and finding apparently lifeless bodies slumped inside. One clip appeared to show the bodies of a family including young children.
Pakistani troops were mobilised to rescue tourists and clear roads before another snowstorm was due to strike later on Saturday.
Emergency services in Punjab province, where Murree is located, released a list of 21 dead, including eight children.
Officials said a heavy influx of visitors wanting to see snow in the scenic town, about 45 kilometres north-east of the capital, Islamabad, had been caught by traffic jams and bad weather on the winding roads.
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