Death toll of tourists stuck by snow in north Pakistan rises to 22

Islamabad (Pakistan), January 9: At least 22 tourists died in freezing temperatures after being stranded in heavy snow in Pakistan's northern Murree city, police sources said on Saturday.
All the bodies have been recovered by civil and military rescue teams and shifted to Army Schools of Logistics in the city, sources from the Murree police told Xinhua.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said earlier that over 1,000 vehicles were stuck in the mountain resort city after the blockage of roads by heavy snow and falling trees.
Part of the roads have been opened after clearing of snow by rescue teams, while all the roads leading to the city have been closed in the wake of an emergency in the hill station, the sources added.
Hassan Khawar, spokesman of the government of Punjab province, where Murree is located, told a press conference that all the victims were in five vehicles, and the exact cause of their death was being ascertained.
"Their vehicles were not hit by trees, neither did they meet any other accident. Apparently, all of the victims chilled to death due to extremely cold weather, but the exact causes will be determined by rescue teams," he said.
According to the sources, the killed include eight of a family from the east Chakwal district, four young friends from north Mardan district, two kids and their mother from Islamabad, among others.
Rescue work was underway in the area at full pace, and the authorities hoped that all operations would be completed by Sunday.
Source: Xinhua