Authorities in Pakistan’s Punjab province have evacuated nearly 300,000 people over the past two days after receiving a fresh flood alert from India, officials reported on Wednesday.
This brings the total number of people displaced since last month to approximately 1.3 million.
Floodwaters have inundated several villages in Punjab’s Muzaffargarh district, after previously impacting areas in Narowal and Sialkot, both situated close to the Indian border.
In an effort to shield major cities, officials are redirecting rising river waters onto agricultural land. The emergency response is being described as one of the most extensive rescue and relief operations in Punjab’s history — a region that spans parts of both eastern Pakistan and northwestern India.
Thousands of emergency workers, including military personnel, are using boats to evacuate residents and livestock from submerged areas, said Arfan Ali Kathia, Director-General of Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
According to Kathia, India issued a second flood warning within 24 hours early Wednesday via diplomatic channels, prompted by heavy rainfall and dam discharges on their side of the border.
The Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers are all experiencing high flood levels due to intense rains and upstream water releases.
Rescue teams are also deploying drones to locate stranded individuals, particularly those stuck on rooftops. Kathia noted that over 3.3 million people across 33,000 villages in Punjab have been affected so far. Damage assessments are ongoing, and the provincial government has pledged compensation for those who lost homes or crops.
Meanwhile, at least 29 people have died due to landslides and flooding in India’s Punjab state, which has a population of over 30 million.
Temporary shelters are being established, and relief supplies such as food and essentials are being distributed, although many affected residents say government assistance is inadequate.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority, around 40,000 people are staying in relief camps, but the whereabouts of many others remain unknown.
In Sher Shah village, 54-year-old farmer Noor Mohammad expressed frustration over the lack of support, saying he had sent his family to stay with relatives.
Another resident, Malik Ramzan, chose to remain near his flooded home rather than move to a camp, citing poor conditions and delayed aid deliveries.
On Wednesday, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif visited Muzaffargarh, meeting with displaced families at relief sites. Her visit coincided with India’s latest flood alert.
Last week, floods struck Kasur, Bahawalpur, and Narowal districts, even submerging the revered shrine of Guru Nanak near the Indian border. Officials say the shrine has since been cleaned and reopened for visitors.
Pakistan began large-scale evacuations last month following India’s release of excess water from dams into low-lying border areas.
This latest disaster is considered the worst flooding since 2022, when climate-driven floods killed nearly 1,700 people in Pakistan.