At least 133 people drowned and many others went missing in the Indian eastern states of Bihar and Jharkhand during the Hindu festival of Chhath Puja, local media reports said Wednesday.
In Bihar, 108 people lost their lives due to drowning and 10 others are reported missing. In the neighboring Jharkhand, the number of such deaths is 25.
The drownings have taken place in rivers and other water bodies across various districts of these states during the observance of the festival.
The local government has deployed disaster response force personnel to trace the missing.
Local media reported that divers and police teams are participating in the search and rescue operations. Authorities have urged devotees to stay cautious at river banks and avoid venturing into deep waters during ritual bathing.
During the celebrations of Chhath Puja, a festival dedicated to the solar deity, hundreds of Hindu devotees stood knee-deep in the waters of rivers and ponds and sometimes even immerse themselves for a holy dip.
