Floods displace nearly 250,000 people and affect 1.2 million in eastern Pakistan

NAROWAL, Pakistan (AP) — Rescuers in boats raced to reach stranded families in Pakistan’s populous eastern Punjab province Thursday, after three major rivers burst their banks because of heavy rain and the release of water from overflowing dams in neighboring India.

The floods displaced nearly 250,000 people and officials said more than 1 million people were affected, with crops and businesses destroyed and many unable to leave their homes.

At least 15 people were killed a day earlier in Gujranwala district and nearby villages, according to police. Forecasters said more rain was expected Friday, after a two-day pause, and could continue into next week.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, senior minister of Punjab province, said floods hit 1,432 villages located along the Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers, affecting about 1.2 million people and displacing 248,000 others.

Nearly 700 relief and 265 medical camps have been set up in the flood-hit areas, she said, adding that food and other essential supplies are being delivered to flood-hit areas.

Floods have killed more than 800 people in Pakistan since late June.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan is “among the countries most vulnerable to natural disasters” and ranks among the 10 most affected by climate change.

“We must keep in mind that this trend will continue in the coming years. It now depends on us how we confront this challenge,” he said after visiting flood-hit areas. Sharif announced that Pakistan would build more water storage to control future floods.

In Indian-controlled Kashmir’s Jammu region, some of the heaviest rains in decades for the month of August have wrought havoc, triggering flash floods and landslides that also hit two Hindu pilgrimage routes in the Himalayan areas.

Homes have been submerged and roads and bridges damaged, forcing Indian authorities to evacuate thousands of people living in flooded areas. At least 115 people have been killed and scores injured.

In Pakistan, it is also the first time in 38 years that the Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers have been in high flood simultaneously, forcing rescue workers to intensify operations across multiple districts, according to the provincial irrigation department.

Some families said they were still waiting for government help.

“My family on the rooftop of our house waited for two days for the arrival of a boat,” said Zainab Bibi, 54, as she sat along a road surrounded by floodwater in Narowal district. She admitted to ignoring an earlier government alert because she thought floods would never hit her village, located kilometers (miles) away from the river.

Farmer Mohammad Saleem, 47, said floods from across the Indian border swept away his home and belongings before his family could escape their village in Narowal district. His 38-year-old wife, Kaneez Bibi, said the floods swept away the dowry she had prepared for their eldest daughter’s wedding planned for November.

In Pakistan's Punjab province, mass evacuations began earlier this week after heavier-than-usual monsoon rains and the release of water from overflowing dams in India triggered flash floods in low-lying border regions.

In a statement, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif credited “timely evacuations” with saving lives. She said advance preparations and the demolition of illegally-built structures along waterways had helped prevent large-scale casualties in what officials describe as the province’s worst flood emergency in decades.

“No displaced person should be without food and medical help in the flood-hit areas,” she told officials during a meeting to review the situation. “Try your best to prevent the spread of water-borne disease among the flood-affected people,” she warned.

Pakistan's Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, on a visit to the flood-hit city of Narowal, accused India of deliberately releasing excessive amounts of water from its dams without timely warnings. He said New Delhi violated a key water treaty that it suspended earlier this year after the killing of 26 tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan-based militants for the attack, an accusation Islamabad denied.

Iqbal said “The release of water in such an enormous volume amounts to water aggression, and India did it, and we are seeing flood devastations."

There was no immediate comment from New Delhi.

Floods in Narowal also submerged the shrine of Guru Nanak, located near the Indian border, but rescuers evacuated the staff and pilgrims quickly.

In 2022, catastrophic floods linked to climate change killed nearly 1,700 people in Pakistan.

Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Associated Press writers Asim Tanveer in Multan, Pakistan, Aijaz Hussain in Srinagar, India, and Ishfaq Hussain in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, contributed to this report.

A resident retrieves a room cooler and other belongings from his flooded home due to rising water level in Ravi River after torrential rains at a low-lying area on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, Aug. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Residents retrieve belongings from their flooded home due to rising water level in Ravi River after torrential rains at a low-lying area on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, Aug. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

People look overflowing Ravi River after torrential rains on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, Aug. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

A resident retrieves belongings from his flooded home due to rising water level in Ravi River after torrential rains at a low-lying area on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, Aug. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

An university building is seen surrounded by floodwater after torrential rains on the outskirts of Narowal, Pakistan, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jahan Zab)

Submerged home is seen after torrential rains along a highway on the outskirts of Narowal, Pakistan, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jahan Zab)

The Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, a shrine of Guru Nanak Dev, is submerged after torrential rains, in Kartarpur, in Narowal district, Pakistan, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jahan Zab)

People wade through a flooded area after torrential rains along a highway on the outskirts of Narowal, Pakistan, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jahan Zab)

Rescue workers evacuate villagers from a flooded area in Chango Walia village in Narowal district, Pakistan, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

WASHINGTON (AP) — It was only a matter of time before Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood hit a grand slam.

But an inside-the-park shot, like the one Wood smashed in Tuesday’s 9-6 victory over the New York Mets?

“I didn’t think it would be like this,” Wood said. “That was a fun way to get it.”

Down 5-0, the Nationals loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning against Mets starter Nolan McLean. Wood hit a first-pitch sweeper to the opposite field, where it glanced off the leaping Nick Morabito’s arm and bounded into center.

“When I saw that, I kind of just knew it was a full-on sprint home,” the 23-year-old Wood said of his 53rd career home run. “That’s probably why my eyes got big.”

Center fielder Tyrone Taylor braced himself before running into the wall before looking at Morabito, who pointed to the carom before giving chase himself.

“He lost track of the baseball,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He went after and then he didn’t know where the ball was. That’s a tough break there.”

Wood scampered around the bases in 15.15 seconds and slid headfirst across the plate well ahead of the throw for his first career grand slam and 13th homer of the season.

It was the ninth inside-the-park grand slam in the majors since 1994. The previous one was hit by Toronto’s Raimel Tapia on July 22, 2022.

“When they get over the fence, obviously I think James enjoys that more so he doesn’t have to run as hard or as far,” first-year Nationals manager Blake Butera said. “But that was pretty cool. I think everyone was pretty fired up, talking some smack that he can’t hit it over the fence.”

The Nationals have two inside-the-park grand slams since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005. Michael A. Taylor hit the other Sept. 8, 2017, at home against Philadelphia.

Three of the four inside-the-park grand slams this century were hit at Nationals Park. Philadelphia’s Aaron Altherr connected for one at Washington on Sept. 25, 2015.

Now, Wood has joined that small club.

“It’s probably the biggest smile I’ve seen on his face since I’ve gotten to know him,” Butera said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Washington Nationals' Drew Millas, right, celebrates as the Nationals' James Wood slides into home on a inside the park grand slam home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

New York Mets third baseman Brett Baty (7) watches Washington Nationals' James Wood head home on a inside-the-park grand slam during the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals' Drew Millas, right, celebrates as the Nationals' James Wood slides into home on a inside the park grand slam home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals' James Wood hits an inside the park grand slam home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals' James Wood slides into home as New York Mets catcher Luis Torrens waits for the throw on an inside the park gland slam home run during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)