Severe winter weather has triggered a humanitarian crisis across South Asia, with deadly avalanches and snowstorms claiming numerous lives and trapping thousands of tourists. In northwestern Pakistan, a devastating avalanche in the Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province claimed the lives of nine individuals from a single family. Emergency services personnel engaged in prolonged rescue operations to recover the victims, including four women, from beneath the snow.
Simultaneously, the region’s first major snowfall of the season caused widespread disruption, particularly around the popular hill station of Murree, located approximately 60 kilometers northeast of Islamabad. The heavy snowfall blocked multiple access roads, leaving thousands of tourists stranded. Authorities have initiated large-scale rescue efforts, deploying heavy machinery to clear the routes and assist those trapped. The district administration in Islamabad has issued advisories urging people to avoid travel to Murree and has closed all area roads to facilitate evacuation operations.
The situation is compounded by traffic chaos on the outskirts of Islamabad, where hundreds of vehicles are gridlocked. Despite official warnings, many travelers refused to turn back, with some engaging in arguments with police officers. Dozens of vehicles parked outside local hotels have been completely buried under the accumulating snow.
This incident echoes a previous tragedy in January 2022, when at least 22 Pakistani tourists perished from hypothermia after becoming trapped in their vehicles during a severe snowstorm. In response, Pakistan had implemented stricter winter emergency measures for Murree and northern regions.
Neighboring Afghanistan faces similar challenges, with officials reporting that freezing rain and snowfall have resulted in 11 fatalities across six provinces. The severe weather has isolated towns and villages, blocking critical transportation routes including the vital Salang Pass—a high-altitude crossing connecting Kabul to northern provinces. Afghanistan’s disaster management agency has mobilized local officials to utilize all available resources for delivering urgent assistance, including food and supplies, to affected communities. This tragedy follows a similar pattern from February 2025, when heavy snowfall and rain claimed 36 lives across various parts of Afghanistan.