In pictures: Villages submerged, rescue underway as Punjab reels under deluge

Pakistan Army has been called in Punjab as authorities rush to rescue people as rivers overflow leading to floodwaters inundating large swathes of land across the country's most populated province.

India opened all gates of major dams on rivers in its part of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) region following heavy rains, and warned Pakistan of the possibility of downstream flooding, an Indian government source said.

The existing flood situation has arisen due to heavy rains, coupled with the water released by the eastern neighbour.

Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers are all facing increased water flow with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directing authorities to further improve early warning systems to ensure timely alerts.

In line with PM Shehbaz's directives, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is overseeing all rescue and relief operations.