Jammu, May 23 (IANS): Over 40,000 border villagers were forced to migrate from their homes as the Pakistan Rangers continued targeting civilian and defence facilities in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts on Wednesday, police said.

While some of the migrants have taken shelter in makeshift camps set up by the administration, most others preferred to shift to the houses of relatives and friends.

Each household has left behind a male member to fend for the cattle and guard their homes from burglars.

The Pakistani side resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing at the Border Security Force and civilian facilities for the third consecutive on Wednesday, a police officer said.

Although the BSF was strongly and effectively retaliating, the officer said that there were confirmed large scale migration from R.S. Pura, Arnia, Ramgarh and other sectors close to the international border (IB).

On Tuesday, 18 civilians were injured in the Pakistani shelling in R.S. Pura and Ramgarh sectors.

Those with serious injuries were referred by attending doctors to government medical college hospital in Jammu.

Dozens of cattle have also perished in Pakistani shelling while houses and other structures have suffered huge damages.