Photos: Tragedy at Pakistan resort as cold kills 22 stuck in cars in heavy snow

Army members take part in a rescue operation in a heavy snowfall-hit area in Murree

Published: January 08, 2022 19:25 AP and Compiled by Nathaniel Lacsina, Senior Web Editor

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Islamabad: Temperatures fell to minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 Fahrenheit) amid heavy snowfall at Pakistan's mountain resort town of Murree overnight, killing at least 22 people who were stuck in their vehicles, officials said Saturday. Image Credit: AP

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Atiq Ahmed, an Islamabad police officer, said eight of the 22 fatalities were from the family of fellow police officer Naveed Iqbal, who also died. Most of the victims died of hypothermia, officials said. Image Credit: AP

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Rescue services physician Abdur Rehman said that after evacuating all of the stranded tourists from their cars, the death toll stood at 22, including 10 men, 10 children and two women. Image Credit: AP

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Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said thousands of vehicles had been pulled from the snow but more than a thousand were still stuck in the area Saturday. Image Credit: AP

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Located 28 miles (45.5 kilometers) north of the capital of Islamabad, Murree is a popular winter resort that attracts well over a million tourists annually. Streets leading into the city are often blocked by snow in winter. Image Credit: AP

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Ahmed, the interior minister, said more than 4 feet (1.2 meters) of snow fell in the area overnight and all incoming traffic was blocked Saturday. The minister said paramilitary troops and a special military mountain unit had been called in to help. Image Credit: AFP

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"Until then no vehicle or even people on foot are allowed to enter Murree except for the emergency and rescue vehicles and those bringing food for the stuck people," he said. Image Credit: AP

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Umar Maqbool, a local administrator, said the heavy snowfall hampered rescue efforts during the night and even heavy equipment brought in to clear the snow got stuck initially. Image Credit: AFP

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Officials gave no further details about those who died in their snowed-in vehicles but said they were working on both recovery and rescue operations. Maqbool said food and blankets were distributed to the stuck tourists during the night. Image Credit: AFP

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Most streets leading to the area's resorts were largely cleared of snow later Saturday but some work was still being done, Maqbool said. Image Credit: AFP

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Military troops and machines were working to clear all the streets and the military established relief camps at army run schools that provided shelter and food. Image Credit: Reuters

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Most streets leading to the area's resorts were largely cleared of snow later Saturday but some work was still being done, Maqbool said. Image Credit: Reuters

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Image Credit: Reuters

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Photos: Tragedy at Pakistan resort as cold kills 22 stuck in cars in heavy snow

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Photos: Tragedy at Pakistan resort as cold kills 22 stuck in cars in heavy snow

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