Pakistan has begun evacuating tens of thousands of people after India released water from overflowing dams, raising the risk of cross-border flooding amid ongoing heavy monsoon rains.

Over 100,000 residents in Punjab province have been moved to safer areas as authorities warn rivers could swell further.

The alert was communicated diplomatically rather than through the usual Indus Waters Commission, amid strained ties following a deadly April attack and a brief war in May, Al-Jazeera has reported.

Recent floods and cloudbursts have already killed hundreds in Pakistan, highlighting the country’s vulnerability to extreme weather.