SARGODHA: At least 24 people lost their lives, and over 50 others sustained injuries in two separate road accidents on Saturday.
One incident occurred in Punjab's Sargodha district, where a truck fell into a dry canal, while the second involved a passenger coach overturning near Ormara in Balochistan
In Sargodha, 14 people were killed and nine others injured when a truck carrying cargo and passengers fell into a canal from the Galapur Bangla bridge due to fog, said Rescue 1122.
The crash happened when thick fog reduced visibility on the road in the city area of Kot Momin, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The truck plunged into the Galapur Bangla canal, which was dry at the time of the incident.
Rescue teams said that the truck was carrying 23 people. Seven of them were crushed underneath the vehicle and died on the spot.
Emergency workers reached the scene quickly and started rescue operations. The bodies of the victims and the injured were pulled out and shifted to the nearby THQ hospital, where seven more people died during treatment.
The deceased includes six children and five women. The passengers were on their way to attend a funeral.
The entire Punjab province is currently in the grip of thick fog that reduces visibility on roads.
Officials said the poor visibility due to fog made driving extremely dangerous in the area during winter mornings and nights. They urged motorists to slow down and take extra care during foggy conditions to avoid such accidents.
In a separate incident, at least 10 people were killed and 45 others injured when a passenger coach, carrying 50 passengers, overturned near Hud Goth in Gwadar, police said on Saturday.
According to police, the coach, en route from Karachi to Gwadar, lost control due to high speed and flipped over, resulting in multiple casualties.
Soon after the accident, the Pakistan army rescue team immediately reached the site and facilitated the transfer of deceased and critically injured passengers to hospitals. The bodies and injured individuals were transported via Pakistan Navy and rescue ambulances to PNS Darmanjah Naval Base.
Critically injured individuals are being airlifted to Karachi via Pakistan Navy ATR aircraft for further care.
