At least 13 children have died after a boat capsized in India's Ganges River while carrying passengers to a festival, officials said Wednesday.
The boat was carrying between 15 and 20 people when it overturned late Tuesday in Vaishali district in Bihar state, District Magistrate Varsha Singh said.
All 13 victims were aged 15 or younger, Singh said, adding that the exact number of passengers aboard the boat was not yet known.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident and announced compensation for the victims' families.
“The loss of lives in the boat capsizing incident in Vaishali, Bihar, is deeply painful,” Modi said in a statement on Wednesday.
“My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this difficult time,” he added.
Rescue operations were continuing as authorities worked to determine the full circumstances of the accident.