JHANG, Pakistan: Emergency workers in Pakistan's Punjab province are racing against time to save people trapped by record-breaking floods. Drones were being used to spot families stranded on rooftops and in flooded villages, officials said.

More than 900,000 people have already been evacuated as the government widened its rescue efforts.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned that even heavier rain is expected in Punjab and other parts of the country. Weeks of extreme monsoon downpours, combined with the release of vast amounts of water from dams in neighboring India, have forced rivers to spill over and drown large areas of farmland and villages. Authorities say Punjab, Pakistan's most populated province, is experiencing the worst flooding in its history.

In the badly affected Multan and Jhang districts, residents waded through chest-deep water carrying their belongings to higher ground. Many waited days for rescuers to arrive, but eventually had to cross nearly five feet of water on their own to reach safety. Despite mass evacuations, thousands remain cut off.

According to Irfan Ali Kathia, head of the Punjab Disaster Management Authority, more than 3,100 villages are underwater. He said rescue teams, supported by the military, have evacuated over 900,000 people since last week and moved about 600,000 farm animals to safer places.

Speaking at a press conference, Kathia described the situation as unprecedented. "We are using drones, boats, and every possible resource to save lives," he said. "Our top priority is to rescue people and make sure survivors receive food and other basic supplies."

Still, complaints are growing from those displaced by the disaster. On roadside embankments, families sit under the open sky with little food or shelter. Haleema Bibi, a 54-year-old woman from Jhang, said her home was destroyed and she fled with seven relatives. "We have nothing left. We sleep without tents, and our food is almost gone," she told reporters.

Another farmer, Allah Ditta, said he and his neighbors sleep on plastic sheets after rescuers came once but never returned with supplies. In Rajanpur district, farmer Malik Ramzan said no official camps were set up, and villagers are also afraid of thieves looting empty houses.

The government claims more than 1,000 relief camps have been established, but official figures show only around 36,000 people are staying in them. That leaves hundreds of thousands unaccounted for, raising questions about where most evacuees are living.

Flooding is not limited to Punjab. In Sindh province, officials are warning that the Indus River could reach "super flood" levels if the water flow rises above 900,000 cubic feet per second. Meanwhile, Islamabad, the capital, was hit by sudden heavy rain that submerged streets and stranded vehicles.

Officials say the disaster is the result of heavier-than-normal monsoon rains combined with the release of water from India's swollen rivers. The Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers all rose at the same time, flooding large areas. India had informed Pakistan before releasing the water, marking a rare public contact between the two rivals.

So far, Punjab has recorded 41 deaths in 10 days, while across Pakistan, at least 854 people have died in rain-related incidents since late June.

In India, at least five people were killed in landslides in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, while floods and rains continue to disrupt daily life. Experts warn the monsoon season in both countries will last until the end of September, meaning the crisis is far from over.