Heavy snow buried automobiles with 21 individuals killed and hundreds stranded.
Karachi, Pakistan – Authorities say they rescued all stranded vacationers within the northern hill station of Murree after heavy snow trapped hundreds of their automobiles and killed at the very least 21 individuals.
The army and groups from the native administration continued to work on Sunday to clear the roads of the greater than 1.2 metres (4 ft) of snow that fell over the weekend, trapping tens of hundreds of automobiles of vacationers flocking to the favored hill resort, 40km (25 miles) northeast of the capital Islamabad.
“All stranded automobiles have been checked [and] all individuals in these automobiles shifted to aid camps,” stated a army assertion launched late on Saturday.
At the very least 157,665 automobiles had entered the small city on Friday and Saturday, with roughly 400 automobiles nonetheless caught within the snow, an adviser to provincial Chief Minister Usman Buzdar stated in an announcement on Saturday.
The army stated it supplied medical care to greater than 300 vacationers on Saturday, with greater than 1,000 served meals at aid camps within the space.
Some roads have been reopened after they have been cleared of snow however others remained closed, both due to icy circumstances or ongoing clearance work, the army assertion stated.
The deaths drew widespread criticism of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s authorities from residents on social media, with many questioning Khan’s assertion on the problem.
“Shocked [and] upset at tragic deaths of vacationers on street to Murree,” Khan tweeted on Saturday. “Unprecedented snowfall [and] rush of [people] continuing with out checking climate circumstances caught district admin unprepared.”
“So it’s solely [the] guests fault? What’s the mechanism to alert individuals who enter these areas?” questioned senior journalist Asma Shirazi.
So it’s solely guests fault?What’s the mechanism to alert individuals who enter these areas? No duty of the gvt #Murree https://t.co/LLJQ9JZGym
— Asma Shirazi (@asmashirazi) January 8, 2022
Others known as for an unbiased inquiry into why the federal government had not foreseen or forestalled the scenario from creating.
“Aid [operations] for vacationers nonetheless stranded within the snow in Murree is the precedence now. However the aid operation photos mustn’t be used for clearing ANYBODY from the horrible failure on Jan 6/7,” stated opposition political chief Afrasiab Khattak. “Solely an unbiased inquiry for apportioning duty is the suitable reply.”
Aid Op for vacationers nonetheless stranded within the snow in Murree is the precedence now. However the aid operation photos mustn’t be used for clearing ANYBODY from the horrible failure on Jan 6/7. Solely an unbiased inquiry for apportioning duty is the suitable reply.#Murree
— Afrasiab Khattak (@a_siab) January 8, 2022