Soldiers deployed in northeastern Punjab province to assist civil administration in evacuating residents to safer areas
Pakistani authorities deployed the army in northeastern Punjab province to assist in rescue and relief operations as the province faces a flood emergency due to heavy rains and India releasing water from overflowing dams.
New Delhi has warned Islamabad of expected high inflows in the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers.
The army was deployed at the request of the Punjab government to assist the civil administration in evacuating residents from districts facing severe floods.
According to an official notification, troops have been stationed in Lahore, Okara, Faisalabad, and Sialkot, among others.
Pakistan's Water Resources Ministry warned that a “high flood” could hit several Punjab districts as water levels continue to rise in all the three rivers.
According to the Press Trust of India, New Delhi issued fresh alerts to Pakistan on Wednesday "about the high probability of flooding in the Tawi river, with incessant rainfall in the northern states forcing the release of excess water from major dams."
On Tuesday, Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority said around 150,000 people had already been evacuated to safer locations and urged residents living near rivers to move immediately.
The authority also warned that a fresh wet spell is likely to commence from Aug. 29 in different areas of the country.
India and Pakistan have been battered by relentless monsoon rains and flooding in recent weeks, with nearly 500 people killed in Pakistan since Aug. 14, mostly over 400 in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, while more than 800 have lost their lives across Pakistan since June 26.
According to officials, thousands of residents also remained stranded from last several days in Gilgit-Baltistan region after torrential rains and floods washed away several roads in Ghizer district.
