ABBOTTABAD, Dec 21: All 53 tourists who were stranded in the Changla Gali when roads were blocked by heavy snowfall on Sunday, were rescued by police and taken to Murree early on Tuesday. The tourists, all from Lahore, included 44 college girls who were on an excursion trip.

Snow was cleared from the Nathiagali-Muree road by the highways department late on Monday night and it was opened for light traffic, but drivers were reluctant to undertake the journey on the slippery road.

Later, Abbottabad SSP Syed Feroz Shah, who supervised the rescue work, made arrangements for shifting the visitors to Murree at around 3.30am. According to police officials, most of the tourists were facing breathing problems.