MUZAFFARABAD: The death toll in an accident jeep fell from a mountain road into a ravine in the Himalayan region of the Azaad Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, soared to 15 people, officials said.
The accident took place near Delvian village of the Neelam River Bank earlier today when the passenger jeep traveling from Lawat Bala to Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) plunged from the Leswa Bypass Road earlier today.
Rescue efforts by police and emergency teams were hindered by rain, reported Rescue 1122. The deceased were transported to District Headquarters Hospital, while the injured were taken to Muzaffarabad Combined Military Hospital. In addition, a woman cutting grass and two children sustained injuries and were also admitted to the hospital.
Of the 17 passengers aboard the jeep, including the driver, six men, four women, and three children lost their lives in the accident. Two others succumbed to their injuries upon reaching the hospital, according to rescue officials.
Local residents and youth also joined in the rescue operations alongside authorities. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, stated Muzaffarabad Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Ahmed Janjua to Geo News, mentioning no clear evidence of the cause on the road where the incident occurred, despite its good condition.
The victims were from two families in Lawat Bala village, Neelum Valley. Their bodies were handed over to their families for funeral rites to be conducted in the village.
Such incidents are common in the mountainous regions of AJK, primarily due to faulty public transport vehicles and inadequate road safety measures.
