The death of people in the hilltop town of Murree in northern Pakistan has come as a major shock. It seems hundreds of vehicles had arrived. They were packed with people who had come to enjoy the snow. There was bumper-to-bumper traffic of hundreds of vehicles.
The cars were unable to maneuver and got stranded in the heavy snow. Their mission was to view the winter snowfall in the town of Murree, and many of them lost their lives. At least 21 people have died. The military came on the scene and rescued many of the stranded people. The British had built the town in the 19th century to serve as a medical base for its colonial troops.
The BBC reports the army quickly deployed its engineers and troops to clear the roads that led to Murree. That would ensure a smooth flow of traffic and travel in the region.
The authorities were worried about heavy snow and an increase in vehicles
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid talked about the crisis. It was due to the arrival of many people to the area. The place is located north of the capital Islamabad. Hundreds of cars had descended in the colonial-era town in recent days. Social media had influenced them in Pakistan. The videos showed people enjoying the snow. The BBC adds that the minister explained about tourists getting stranded. It prompted the authorities to declare the region a disaster zone.
Social media revealed scenes of stranded cars with snow on their roofs.
The snow froze some to death in their cars
At least ten children perished in the snow. They had come to enjoy the view of snow, but some of them froze to death. Others died of asphyxiation after they inhaled the fumes. One of the tourists mentioned about the terrible situation faced by not only the tourists, but also by the local population.
They are also facing severe problems like a shortage of gas and water.
The BBC talked about the locals who extended help by providing blankets and food to the trapped people. The town of Murree is 7,500 feet above sea level. Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed shock over the "tragic deaths." He felt people should have come after checking weather conditions.
He has ordered an inquiry and promised to take necessary action to prevent such tragedies.
Pakistan's interior minister explained: "For the first time in 15 to 20 years, such large number of tourists flocked to Murree, which created a big crisis."
In the opinion of a doctor of the University of Maryland UCH, the cause of death could be cold or carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is an odorless gas and lethal if an idling car is buried in snow. In such a case, the exhaust is blocked, and the gas can kill the passengers in the vehicle as they breathe it.
