46, including 37 children, drown in India during Hindu festival

AT LEAST 46 people, including 37 children, have drowned while celebrating a Hindu festival in eastern India, according to a local government official.

The victims drowned in separate incidents across Bihar state while bathing in rivers and ponds that had risen due to recent flooding, a Bihar Disaster Management Department official told AFP.

"People ignored dangerous water levels in rivers as well as ponds while bathing to celebrate this festival," the official said. The official requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

The drownings occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday across 15 districts as people observed the Jitiya Parv Hindu festival, which mothers celebrate for the wellbeing of their children. Authorities are still working to recover three more bodies.

Jitiya Parv is also observed in neighbouring states Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, and in parts of Nepal’s southern region.

The Bihar state government announced compensation for the families of the victims, the official added.

Last year, local media reported that 22 people drowned during a 24-hour period in Bihar, many while marking the same festival.

Deadly incidents are common during large religious festivals in India, where millions of devotees gather to celebrate. In July, at least 116 people were crushed to death at an overcrowded religious event in Uttar Pradesh, one of the worst incidents of its kind in over a decade.

India experiences heavy rainfall and flash floods each year during the June-September monsoon season. While the rains are crucial for agriculture, they also cause landslides and floods, killing hundreds across South Asia. In July, more than 200 people died in Kerala when landslides triggered by torrential monsoon rains buried parts of the region.

Experts say climate change is contributing to more extreme weather events globally, with damming, deforestation, and development projects in India worsening the impacts. A 2021 study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research suggested that the monsoon is becoming stronger and more unpredictable.

(With inputs from AFP)