Most of the victims were crushed by collapsing buildings, while the rest either drowned or were electrocuted, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

Authorities in the city of Rawalpindi, next to the capital Islamabad, declared Thursday a public holiday to keep people at home, while those living near a swelling river which runs through the city have been asked to evacuate.

The latest deaths take the nationwide toll to nearly 180 since the monsoon started in late June. More than half of them were children.

The floods have closed several expressways throughout Punjab and either cancelled or delayed dozens of flights.

On Thursday, the province’s Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said an emergency had been declared in a number of areas. “Government institutions are working with utmost effort,” she wrote in a post on X, urging residents to abide by safety guidelines.

In Chakwal, a city deluged by 400mm of rainfall in the past day, photographs and video showed rescue boats trying to locate people stranded in floodwaters.

Military helicopters can also be seen circling heavily flooded areas.

MNA/