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3:07
21 tourists perished in an apocalyptic snowstorm in Pakistan
Families were trapped in their cars in a mountainous area in the north.
In northern Pakistan, approximately 21 people were trapped inside their vehicles, along with dozens of visitors waiting to see a surprising and unexpected snowstorm.
It is unknown if the cause of death for the victims was from suffocation from inhaling gas in the traffic jam. About eight individuals were frozen to death inside their vehicles, according to police data. Among the deceased, a family of 5 members could be located.
The army has been activated to clear the streets and save the large number of drivers stuck near Murree, some 70 km east of the capital Islamabad, said Shaykh Rashid, Pakistan's Interior Minister.
Through recordings shared on social networks, trapped vehicles can be seen, with snow accumulated on their roofs.
Babar Khan, a tourist who was detained for quite some time, told AFP by phone that the heavy snow caused a tremendous traffic jam and also closed the streets.
He added that the streets were closed, since several trees fell at different points. The meteorology service announces heavy snowfalls in that region, until the afternoon of this Sunday.
In the last hours a record of several years has been broken, due to snowfall, as highlighted by the Minister of Information, Fawad Chaudry.
Bad organization
Social media in Pakistan is full of photos and videos of citizens enjoying themselves in the nearby snow of Murree, the famous tourist resort created by the British in the 19th century and used as a sanitarium for their pioneering troops.
This city is located at an altitude of 2,300 meters, has about 30,000 inhabitants and is located in the middle of valleys and hills, which are reached by small streets, which tend to paralyze even in optimal weather conditions.
The Punjab head of state's office reported that Murree had declared a war zone and asked citizens not to visit the territory.
Likewise, Imran Khan, the prime minister, said he was concerned about the misfortune.
Khan, published on his Twitter account that the extraordinary snowfall and the transit of individuals without checking the weather forecasts, leaves the organization ill-equipped to manage the situation.
He also assured that, he has requested an analysis of the facts, and they will begin to implement measures to prevent this type of misfortune.
Alerts
Last weekend, specialists noticed that large numbers of vehicles were trying to reach Murree.
In recent years, due to the curious snowfall, more than 100,000 vehicles have flocked to the hotel city, which has caused tremendous traffic jams in the access and exit streets, said a police representative.
Shaykh Rashid, the Minister, revealed that the inhabitants have housed the individuals trapped in the city, given food and shelter to those on the outskirts of the city.
Accommodation has also been offered in administrative buildings and schools, for people who were able to get out of the congestion of the streets and made it to the city.
