Thirteen children were killed when a boat carrying passengers to a festival capsized in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, officials said.

A local official told the Press Trust of India news agency that the boat had between 15 and 20 people on board when it overturned on Tuesday evening in Vaishali district, adding that rescue operations were continuing.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement that he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and announced compensation for the victims' families.