During a Hindu event, dozens of children drown in eastern India

According to local disaster management authorities, on Friday, at least 46 people—including 37 children—drowned in the Indian state of Bihar while taking a river bath with their moms in observance of the Hindu festival of Jivitputrika.

The three-day celebration, called Jitiya, got underway on Wednesday and is centered around the well-being and prosperity of kids. Mostly observed in eastern India, it involves a rigorous fast in which mothers abstain from food and liquids for a full day.

They break the fast after taking a ritual dip in a river — often with their children.

This year, many rivers in Bihar have been swollen by recent floods and heavy monsoon rains.

“It was a Jitiya festival and people went to the rivers to take baths in different places. Young kids in the age group of eight, nine, ten, they also go to take bath with their mothers.

The incidents were reported in nearly half of Bihar’s districts.

“There are 46 deaths, most of them being youngsters in the age group of 8 to 17, and there are also seven women,” Ghaffar said.

“The Bihar government has given compensation to 20 families and the compensation amount is 4 lakh rupees ($4,800).”