Swollen Chenab, Jhelum rages on through flood-hit Pakistan Punjab

The swollen River Chenab continues to wreak havoc in Pakistan's Punjab Province, inundating over 400 villages in Sargodha, Chiniot, Khushab and Jhang Districts.

The River Jhelum, according to the Dawn, has also flooded villages along its banks in Sargodha and Khushab, but the damage is not as severe as the devastation caused by Chenab which had a flow of over 800,000 cusecs.

The two rivers at their devastating peaks will meet at Trimu headworks in Jhang in the next 48 hours.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department's website, the barrage will have exceptionally high flood level until September 12.

Arrangements have been made to breach the protective dyke of Athara Hazari to take some pressure off Trimu headworks and protect it and Jhang city.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the flood-hit Kot Momin area in Sargodha and directed the administration to estimate the losses so that immediate relief could be provided to the affected people.

In Chiniot, 140 villages have been submerged.

The Pakistan Army said on Monday that troops had rescued 1,500 people by helicopters and boats from flood-hit areas of Jalalpur Bhattian, Pindi Bhattian, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Wani Tarar, Rasoolnagar, Chiniot, Kot Momin and Mandi Bahauddin.

According to the Inter-Service Public Relations, 10,000 food packs were air-dropped for people trapped in various places. Army troops have also been moved to Multan, D.G. Khan, Liyyah, Sahiwal and Trimu headworks to meet the crisis situation. In Gilgit, 33 people, along with their livestock, have been evacuated from Deosai. They were trapped at the 16,000 feet height plateau because of heavy snowfall.

An army relief camp has been set up at Chilum, near Astore, for providing relief goods and medical care to the affected people. Since the start of the relief operation, army troops have rescued more than 17,000 stranded people.