PATNA: At least 46 people, including 37 children, have tragically drowned while celebrating the Hindu festival “Jitiya Parv” in Bihar, eastern India, according to a local government official who spoke to AFP on Thursday. The victims drowned in separate incidents across 15 districts while ritually bathing in rivers and ponds swollen by recent flooding.
The official from the Bihar Disaster Management Department, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media, explained that people ignored dangerous water levels during their ritual baths, leading to the fatal incidents. The drownings occurred from Tuesday as devotees observed “Jitiya Parv,” a festival celebrated by mothers for the well-being of their children.
Authorities are still working to recover three more bodies. The state government has announced compensation for the families of each victim.
Deadly incidents during major religious festivals are common in India, where millions of devotees make pilgrimages to holy sites. The country is also frequently hit by torrential rains and flash floods during the monsoon season, which, while vital for agriculture, also cause widespread destruction, landslides, and floods, killing hundreds across South Asia.
In July, over 200 people were killed in Kerala, southern India, when monsoon downpours caused landslides that buried tea plantations. Experts indicate that climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events globally. In India, the human toll is exacerbated by damming, deforestation, and development projects.
