SARGODHA, Pakistan: Fourteen people have died after a truck carrying 23 passengers lost control and plunged into a dry canal in Sargodha, a district in Pakistan’s central Punjab province, rescue officials said Saturday.
The passengers, including women and children, were reportedly travelling to attend a funeral when the vehicle veered off the road amid dense winter fog, which severely reduced visibility. Seven people were crushed beneath the truck, while another seven later died at a nearby hospital, authorities said.
Rescue teams arrived promptly, recovering the injured and the deceased and transporting them to the local THQ hospital. Officials said poor visibility due to heavy fog made driving extremely dangerous, particularly on rural and highway routes during early morning and late-night hours.
The accident comes amid widespread fog across Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, with meteorological authorities reporting visibility as low as 30 meters in some districts.
Residents and motorists were warned to take extra precautions, slow down, and avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather conditions.
Authorities said winter fog, combined with poor road infrastructure and limited traffic enforcement, frequently causes serious accidents in Pakistan, with long-distance travel particularly hazardous during this season.
Road accidents are also common in Pakistan, often caused by poor infrastructure, speeding, and limited enforcement of traffic regulations, with dense winter fog further increasing the risk of serious collisions.
