Pakistan has evacuated at least 150,000 people from areas along three rivers in its agricultural heartland, under threat of flooding, after neighboring India warned it was planning to release excess water from a dam, officials said on Tuesday.
Both India and Pakistan have been hit by heavy rains in recent weeks that have caused flooding. The release of excess water threatens to further inundate parts of Pakistan’s Punjab province, which accounts for much of the country’s food production.
The two nuclear-armed countries have had tense relations since a brief conflict in May, the worst in decades. Any flooding blamed on India could further strain their ties.
Pakistani officials said they received a surprise warning from India on Monday that it intended to release water from the rapidly filling Madhopur dam, on its side of Punjab province, according to Reuters.
India routinely releases water from its dams when they are too full and the excess flows into Pakistan.
Indian authorities said they did not mention a specific dam, but that the heavy rain had prompted them to issue a second warning to Pakistan through diplomatic channels. Asked whether additional warnings could be issued as the rains continued, they said it was possible.
