Dozens of children drown during religious festival in India

At least 46 people have drowned, most of them children, while bathing in rivers and ponds swollen by recent floods during the observance of a Hindu religious festival celebrated by millions in north India, authorities said on Thursday.

The dead include 37 children and seven women who drowned on Wednesday in the eastern state of Bihar in scattered incidents across 15 districts, a statement from Bihar's disaster management department said.

India has seen deadly stampedes during religious events in the past but widespread drowning incidents during festivals are rare.

Local media reported that floods had swelled some of the rivers and ponds in the state following heavy rains.

Devotees were celebrating the annual festival of Jivitputrika Vrat, during which women fast for 24 hours and offer prayers for the wellbeing of their children. They also travel to rivers and ponds in their neighbourhood to bathe, sometimes accompanied by their children.

The tragic incidents were reported across several districts, including East and West Champaran, Nalanda, Aurangabad, Kaimur, and Buxar. Rescue efforts are ongoing to locate those still missing, while the state government continues to prioritize relief operations.

The state government has announced compensation of 400,000 rupees ($4,784) for the families of each of the deceased, the statement said.

India experiences torrential rains and flash floods each year during the June-September monsoon season, which is crucial for agriculture, supporting millions of farmers. However, the monsoon also brings widespread devastation, causing landslides, flash floods, and accidents that claim hundreds of lives annually across South Asia.