Thousands evacuated as 'exceptionally high' flooding devastates parts of Pakistan's Punjab

Some 200,000 people have been evacuated as floods devastate parts of Pakistan's Punjab province. Rescuers carried residents to safety in boats after disaster authorities warned of exceptionally high floods along the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers. Several districts called in the army to help. It comes after Pakistani officials said India had warned it would release water from major dams upstream, causing heavy flooding in parts of what is Pakistan's most populous province.

Both countries have suffered intense rainfall in recent weeks, with monsoon rains killing more than 800 people in Pakistan since June.

The country's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned people in affected areas to stay away from rivers, drains, and low-lying zones. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the federal government would fully cooperate with regional authorities to avert the risk of flooding, particularly in the urban areas of Gujarat, Sialkot, and Lahore – Pakistan's second-most populous city.

Sialkot has seen more rainfall in 24 hours than the highest record in the past 49 years, according to Pakistan's chief meteorologists. This has left cars, homes, and buildings submerged. Many of the city's residents are stranded, the federal planning minister has told the BBC.

Rescuers have been going door-to-door in villages, relocating residents and their livestock by boat. These boats have saved more than 32,000 people who were trapped by floodwater. One resident, Nadeem Ahmad, told us he was refusing to leave. He has been through multiple evacuations over the years and said his family simply can't afford to leave once again.

These floods are ruinous to many families in a country where more than 40% of people live below the poverty line. That is why many people have stated they prefer to protect their property and belongings, even if that means risking their lives. Around half the residents of one village we visited, a community of about 3,000 people, were refusing to evacuate.

According to disaster authorities, Wednesday's flooding follows a warning from India that it would release water from major upstream dams. The release of water can cause heavy flooding downstream - which is currently impacting significant portions of Punjab, according to officials. Both countries have suffered from floods after extreme monsoon rains.