Pak Army reopens snow-hit Naran-Kaghan Road, evacuates another 70 tourists

Authorities sent heavy machinery along with troops and rescue workers to clear the roads in the Naran Valley in Mansehra district.

“Hoteliers must be praised for providing accommodation to the stranded tourists; otherwise we have not yet seen any official of local administration”.

Landslides in mountainous northern Pakistan caused by unseasonably heavy rain and snow have left thousands of tourists stranded, officials said on Monday, while record October rainfall hit the capital, Islamabad.

In this file 2005 photo, a Pakistani quake survivor carries a child on his back on Kaghan-Balakot road as he travels toward a relief camp in Balakot, about 270 km (167 miles) northwest of Islamabad. They said they were running out of food items among other vital equipment needed in such harsh weather.

The National Logistics Cell (NLC), National Highway Authority (NHA) and the military were all helping clear the route, according to officials.

He directed the interior secretary to contact chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to mobilise help for those stranded.

The operation is underway because of sudden heavy snow fall in the Naran-Kaghan region because of which hundreds of tourists have been stuck there over the last few days.

At least 11 persons were killed in separate rain-related incidents in different parts of the country on Sunday. In the meantime, as usual weather changes, Gilgit and Chitral mountains began to receiving snowfall.