STORY: Devastating floods have submerged more than 1,600 villages in Pakistan's Punjab province, killing at least 17 and impacting more than 1 million people, the provincial disaster authority said Thursday (August 28).

The Director General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Irfan Ali Khan, confirmed the death toll was due to "various accidents during this spell, including drownings."

Pakistani authorities have evacuated more than a million people from homes in Punjab province this week, officials said on Thursday, as the worst flooding there in four decades caused havoc in hundreds of villages and submerged vital grains crops.

Torrential monsoon rain and neighbouring India's release of excess water from its dams swelled three rivers that flow into the eastern province, forcing authorities to breach river banks in some places.

Residents of villages such as Qadirabad were walking through water up to their chests on Thursday after the River Chenab overflowed, causing sudden flooding.

Officials say flooding has been worsened in Punjab - home to half of Pakistan's people and a major producer of wheat, rice and cotton - by the release of water into the three rivers, the Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab, from Indian dams that were full.

India, which routinely releases water from dams when they get too full, passed on three flood warnings to its arch rival Pakistan this week, calling them a humanitarian measure.

Both countries are battling a heavy monsoon season that has unleashed flash floods. At least 60 people have died this month in hard-hit Indian Kashmir, while Pakistan's death toll since late June stands at 819.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: HEAVY FLOODING STRIKES JAGOO KALAN VILLAGE IN QADIRABAD, MANDI BAHAUDDIN PUNJAB, AND NEARBY AREAS AFTER TORRENTIAL MONSOON RAINS; RIVER WATERS SUBMERGE REGION/ SOUNDBITES OF DIRECTOR GENERAL PROVINCIAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY PUNJAB (PDMA), IRFAN ALI KHAN

SHOWS: QADIRABAD, MANDI BAHAUDDIN DISTRICT, PAKISTAN (AUGUST 28, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF VILLAGERS WALKING IN FLOODED STREETS

LAHORE, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN (AUGUST 28, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) DIRECTOR GENERAL PROVINCIAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY PUNJAB, IRFAN ALI KHAN, SAYING:

“The total confirmed death toll so far is 17 deaths across Punjab, which are due to various accidents during this spell, including drownings and the rest.”

3. IRFAN ALI KHAN DURING PRESS CONFERENCE

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) DIRECTOR GENERAL PROVINCIAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY PUNJAB, IRFAN ALI KHAN, SAYING:

"So far, 1,692 villages across Punjab are underwater, affecting approximately 1,461,966 individuals directly impacted and facing various problems."

QADIRABAD, MANDI BAHAUDDIN DISTRICT, PAKISTAN (AUGUST 28, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all)

5. EMERGENCY WORKERS RESCUING STRANDED VILLAGERS

6. FLOODED AREA