LAHORE - At least 17 people have died in the last 24 hours due to floods in Pakistan's Punjab province, which has submerged hundreds of villages. The severe floods in the Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers have forced a large number of people to reach safe places, damaged infrastructure and submerged lakhs of acres of agricultural land in this province of more than 13 crore people. According to Punjab Emergency Services Rescue 1122, 17 people have died in the last 24 hours due to floods.
Officials said that the high water level in the three rivers is due to the excess water released by India from dams along with heavy rains. Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal has accused India of releasing water in an uncontrolled manner.
"India has released water in an uncontrolled manner. This is a natural disaster which can only be dealt with through cooperation on both sides of the border. India should have taken it as a natural disaster and worked together with Pakistan, but instead it released water in the form of a sudden flood wave, using it as a weapon," he said.
Officials had earlier said that India had opened all the gates of its Thein Dam on the Ravi river, prompting the Punjab administration to call in the Pakistan Army to assist civil authorities in rescue and relief operations in eight districts - Lahore, Okara, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Narowal, Kasur, Sargodha and Hafizabad.
Pakistan had also received a warning from India that it may release water from the rapidly filling Madhopur Dam. Both the dams are on the Ravi river, which flows from India into Pakistan.