Pakistan's central Punjab province is facing one of the worst flood emergencies in recent history, as raging waters affect the lives of more than 2 million people and claimed 33 lives over the past week, officials said on Sunday.
"The floods in three eastern rivers have affected the lives of 2.06 million people," Mazhar Chaduhary, spokesman for the provincial disaster management authority, told dpa.
He said that the authority has evacuated 760,000 people to safe locations in 511 relief camps set up in the province. More than 2,000 villages have been submerged by three rivers: the Chenab, Sutlej and Ravi.
Torrential rains in neighbouring India have worsened the flooding after excess water was released into the Sutlej and Ravi — both controlled by India under the Indus Water Treaty.
At least 33 people have lost their lives so far in Punjab over the past week whereas the death toll from rain-related incidents since June 26, has risen to 849, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.
A flood alert has been issued for the downstream areas of Punjab and southern province of Sindh as a flow of over 31,000 cubic metres per second is expected in next 24 hours. The evacuation process in Sindh has started and tens of thousands of people are being shifted to safer places.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah told the media that his government "will protect lives and livestock under any circumstances."
