Muzaffarabad: At least 230 stranded tourists were safely evacuated from high altitude tourist resort Pir Chinasi, Muzaffarabad in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Thursday night after they got stuck in heavy snow, police informed Friday. Over 30 vehicles of tourists were stuck as roads were slippery because of snowfall. Over the information, Rescue 1122 teams from Muzaffarabad reached the spot to evacuate the tourists stranded in Pir Chinasi.
“In bad weather, vehicles become inoperable in mountain terrains of Pir Chinasi. Machinery is not available at the tourist destination, therefore, the required machinery has been dispatched,” said the police. The rescue teams managed to reach the snow blanketed spot on 4×4 vehicles, which are capable of propelling on snowy tracks. Following the evacuation operation, the tourists were shifted to a state-run guesthouse in Saran, five kilometers away from Pir Chinasi.
Muzaffarabad Deputy Commissioner Masood Ur Rehman said that 30 van drivers had also been provided accommodation for the night so that they return to get their stuck vehicles once the weather is clear. The officials said that heavy snowfall is causing hindrances in rescue operations.