19 stranded people have been rescued after they were trapped in their cars during a heavy snowstorm. This happened in Victoria’s High Country near Mount Hotham in Australia over the weekend, PEOPLE reported.
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Snowstorm Leaves 19 People Stranded, Six Stuck In Cars Overnight In Freezing Temperatures
Emergency services led a rescue mission on Sunday, June 7, to help save the trapped individuals. The Victoria State Emergency Service released a statement yesterday on Facebook concerning the incident. They initially thought there were over 20 people stranded, but it ended up being 19.
SES rescued 13 individuals on Sunday and saved the other six the following day. This was after “more than 50cm of snowfall in the area over the weekend.” The SES Bright Unit and SES Falls Creek Unit volunteers assisted Victoria Police with the operation.
According to The Guardian, a man in his 40s suffered from minor injuries. This was after his vehicle rolled over, authorities claimed. Graham Gales, an SES unit controller, mentioned how even more people aided the rescue effort. This included Wangaratta ski club members, the Country Fire Association, and a snow plough from Hotham Alpine Resort.
Gales also noted how shocked they were at how many people were stranded by the snowfall. “We were very surprised at the number of vehicles that we did come across yesterday … that had gone out for the weekend and have been caught short by the snow,” he said to ABC Radio.
Six People Stuck In Cars Overnight In Freezing Temperatures
“The experience of our drivers going into the Dargo High Plains Road yesterday was even they were having difficulty, and these are people that basically work in the snow all year round.”
ABC News reported that the region received 24 inches of snow throughout the week. On the same day, emergency services rescued two stranded hikers. They were stuck on a walking track at Wonnangatta, south-east of Mount Hotham.
James Boler, SES Regional Duty Officer, explained just how difficult this altercation was. Half a dozen of the stranded individuals had to spend the night in their vehicles. “The rescue operation has actually been pretty treacherous,” said Boler. “The conditions up on the mountain have been very, very difficult to deal with.”
The outlet also detailed that the dangerous temperatures fell to 24.2 degrees Fahrenheit. This must have made the overnight sleep arduous. Rescuers have now saved everyone who was stranded and have fed them food and water.