46 drown during a religious festival in India

September 26, 2024 / 11:38 PM

Sharjah 24 – AFP: At least 46 people, including 37 children, drowned while celebrating Jitiya Parv festival in eastern India, according to a local government official. The victims drowned in separate incidents in Bihar state while bathing in rivers and ponds swollen by recent flooding.

Authorities noted that many ignored the dangerous water levels during the celebrations.

Compensation has been announced for the victims' families. Last year, similar incidents claimed 22 lives during the same festival in Bihar.

The annual monsoon season brings torrential rains and flooding, causing widespread devastation and claiming hundreds of lives across South Asia. Experts link the increasing severity of these events to climate change and other environmental factors.