Bhagalpur, Sep 21: Six children drowned while bathing in floodwaters in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district, officials said on Monday, as several parts of the state continue to reel under flooding.
The incident took place near a gas warehouse close to Tareta village under Bhirkhurd panchayat in the Sultanaganj block, they said.
The children, reportedly residents of Dudhailla village, had entered the floodwaters when they apparently lost their balance and drowned, according to local residents.
Residents launched a search operation and informed the Sultanaganj police and the circle officer. The bodies of all six children were subsequently recovered and taken to Sultanaganj Hospital.
Arrangements were being made to send the bodies to Bhagalpur for post-mortem examination, officials said.
A relative of one of the deceased said the children had gone to collect flowers for puja and were unaware of the depth of the water.
“The children had gone to pluck flowers for puja. They did not know that it (the water) was deep. While trying to hold on to each other, they all fell in,” the relative said, as cited by IANS.
Another relative said the children had left home in the morning.
“They left home at 9 a.m. and said they were going. They asked me for two rupees… I gave it to them. Three girls went together,” the relative said, according to IANS.
The incident comes as several districts of Bihar continue to face flooding, with water levels rising in the Ganga and other rivers.
According to reports citing the state Disaster Management Department, around 40.72 lakh people across 676 gram panchayats, 88 blocks and 16 districts had been affected as of September 20.
The state government is continuing relief and rescue operations in affected areas, with community kitchens also being run at several locations to provide food to displaced residents.
Amid the flood situation, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary donated one month’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Several political leaders and organisations have also announced financial assistance for affected families.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has urged the Centre and the state government to provide Rs 15,000 each to flood- and drought-hit farmers and sought a declaration of the situation as a national disaster.
