People carry six bodies from one family that were killed after being stuck in their vehicles overnight during a heavy snowstorm as temperatures plummeted, in the area of the Murree Hills resort, in Rawalpindi, adjacent to Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022. Officials say at least 22 people, including 10 children, died in the popular mountain resort town. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Roads at a popular Pakistani resort were cleared Sunday after the deaths of 22 people who were stuck in their cars during a heavy snowstorm as temperatures plummeted, officials said.
More than 4 feet (1 meter) of snow fell in the area of the Murree Hills resort in the town of Murree near the capital Islamabad on Friday night and early Saturday. The heavy snow caused hundreds of vehicles to become buried or otherwise stuck.
Most of the victims suffered hypothermia as temperatures fell to minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 Fahrenheit). A rescue physician said some died of carbon monoxide poisoning from running their car heaters while their mufflers were choked by snow.
Punjab police said in a statement that all roads in and around the resort had been cleared but that incoming traffic to the resort was still not allowed. Police said some 700 vehicles were pulled from the snow and the remaining stranded tourists were taken to safety Saturday night. Most were taken to one of five military-run relief camps and provided with medication and hot meals.
The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan came under heavy criticism for not being prepared for the situation and for acting too late, causing the heavy loss of human lives. Opposition politicians Bilawal Zardari and Mariyam Nawaz were among critics of the government’s performance.
The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan came under heavy criticism for not being prepared for the situation and for acting too late, causing the heavy loss of human lives. Opposition politicians Bilawal Zardari and Mariyam Nawaz were among critics of the government’s performance.
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