Torrential monsoon rains claimed 30 lives in Pakistan's Punjab over the last 24 hours, prompting the provincial government to declare the ‘rain emergency’ in several different parts of the nation, officials said on Thursday.

The most affected area was Chakwal, a salt range area of the province, some 300 kms from Lahore, receiving 423 mm of rain in the last 24 hours leading to floods in the area, the authorities said.

“A rescue operation is underway in Chakwal to evacuate people trapped by flash floods, with support from the military and local administration,” the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said in a statement in Lahore.