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Heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan have killed at least 830 people since June 26, authorities said, as widespread flooding and landslides continue to disrupt daily life across the country.
Punjab province, bordering India, has been among the worst affected. Officials reported that three swollen transboundary rivers have inundated more than 2,300 villages, prompting the evacuation of 481,000 residents and 405,000 livestock.
Overall, more than 1.5 million people have been affected by the flooding.
“This is the biggest rescue operation in Punjab’s history,” Irfan Ali Khan, head of the province’s disaster management agency, said, noting that over 800 boats and more than 1,300 rescue personnel have been deployed.
Over 500 relief camps have been established to provide shelter for families and livestock.
In Lahore’s outskirts, residents displaced by rising water described losing all their belongings.
“Everyone has lost everything. Their homes are gone, their belongings destroyed,” said 40-year-old Tabassum Suleman, sheltering in a school with dozens of other families. Retired shop owner Sikandar Mughal added, “When the water reached the garage of my house, I took my bike and ran for my life.”
The heavy rains continued on Saturday, submerging parts of Lahore and other areas. In mid-August, over 400 people were killed in landslides in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near Afghanistan.
Pakistan has faced recurring monsoon disasters in recent years.
In 2022, floods submerged nearly a third of the country, with Sindh province suffering the most extensive damage.
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