Pakistan snow, 1000 vehicles trapped, 22 fatalities

[sheddi]

I-95 hasn't been the only highway hit by unexpected snow recently.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-59927266

A tourist trapped in her car for hours by unprecedented snowfall in Pakistan has described how she "saw death" in front of her as she waited for help.

Samina was in one of thousands who rushed to view the winter snowfall in the hilltop town of Murree. But a blizzard on Friday had felled trees and blocked roads in and out of the town just north of the capital. Around 1,000 vehicles became stranded, and at least 22 people died, including two large families.

Samina told the BBC she had left her home at 16:00 local time to travel to Murree, but soon found herself among those trapped in the snow. Pictures and videos posted on social media showed stranded cars bumper to bumper, with snow piled on their roofs.

"I could see death in front of me," Samina said. "It was like there were snow peaks built around our car... I can't explain in words what I was going through. We were praying God may help us and we shouldn't be perished in a snowstorm."

According to Tariq Ullah, an official in the nearby town of Nathiagali, the blizzard dumped up to 1.5m (5ft) of snow within just a few hours. "It was unprecedented," he told AFP news agency. "There were strong winds, uprooted trees, avalanches. People around were terrified."

Samina was finally rescued at 10:00 the next morning, spending the night in one of the shelters set up in the resort town, which sits at 2,300 metres (7,500 feet) above sea level.

But among those who died were 10 children, emergency services said, as well as two families of five and eight. Authorities said eight people froze to death, while asphyxiation after inhaling fumes while trying to keep warm in their vehicles has been given as a possible reason for the others.

More at the BBC link and also:
https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/south-asia/pakistan-snow-storm-murree-dead-b1989416.html
https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/wireStory/snow-cleared-deaths-22-people-pakistani-resort-82161229
https://weather.com/news/news/2022-01-08-cars-stuck-pakistan-mountain-resort