DISASTER

At Least 22 Dead After Getting Trapped in Snow in Pakistan Resort Town

About 1,000 vehicles were stuck as snow drifts blocked roads, and falling trees crushed vehicles where people were trying to keep warm.

A winter wonderland has turned deadly for at least 22 people in Pakistan’s mountain resort town of Murree. Tourists who visited a hill station in the town to play in fresh snow that began falling Tuesday were unable to descend from the area as the weather and traffic intensified. Reuters reported that as many as 100,000 cars visited the region. About 1,000 cars became stuck as snow drifts blocked the road and falling trees crushed vehicles. Associated Press reports that 22 people died, including eight family members of a police officer who also died. Officials speculated that the piling snow may have trapped carbon monoxide around some cars, killing those inside. Reuters reports that videos from the scene show families, including children, dead in their vehicles. A state of emergency has been declared and crews have been deployed to rescue those still trapped.