JHANG, pakistan — Raging monsoon floods across India and Pakistan that have killed more than 450 people poured into the plains of eastern Punjab province Wednesday, sending a major river over its banks and threatening to force hundreds of thousands from their homes.
The Chenab River overflowed early Wednesday, threatening the nearby Pakistani district of Jhang in the worst flooding in the region in years.
Survivor Haleema Bibi, 65, sobbed as she climbed out of a boat. Her granddaughter was to be married in the coming days, but the floodwaters swept her dowry away. She appealed to the rescuers to go back to the village, saying her grandson was stranded there.
“I have lost everything,” Bibi cried out.
The flooding began this month in Kashmir, which is claimed by India and Pakistan. It caused landslides and submerged much of the main city of Srinagar on the Indian-administered side.
The water is now rushing out of the mountains of the Himalayan region, affecting communities downstream and threatening to force nearly 700,000 people from their homes.
Tempers frayed as residents grew anxious over the fate of missing loved ones. In one Srinagar neighborhood, survivors heckled a former government minister and fought with rescue workers.
“They are asking for bribes to rescue us,” said one man, trembling with rage.
Officials said it was dangerous for rescue boats to reach some parts of the city. “Our entire effort has been focused on ensuring that we have adequate assets to rescue people,” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said.
The rains have washed away houses, bridges, communication equipment and crops.
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority said rescuers so far had evacuated more than 127,000 people.
